Synthesis of ZnO nanorods and their optical absorption in visible-light region

Single crystalline ZnO nanorods were prepared by the hydrothermal method with synthesized ZnCl2·4Zn(OH)2 as the precursor. Morphologies of the nanorods were controlled by various reaction conditions with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as the modifying agent. The nanorods were characterized by XRD, TEM, UV-Vis spectra, and IR spectra. The microstructure of holes in nanosize was observed on the surface of the nanorods. The UV-Vis spectra indicate that the as-prepared ZnO nanorods have absorption of visible-light as well as ultraviolet-light. Therefore, these nanorods may be good candidates for visible-light photocatalysis materials from the viewpoint of practical applications. The reason for visible-light absorption was discussed in this article.