Growth of ZnO nanorod forests and characterization of ZnO-coated nylon fibers

ZnO nanorod forests were grown wrapping nylon fibers using a two-step process. In the first step, the formation of ZnO seeds at nylon fiber surfaces was induced by the dip coating of ZnO nanosols; in the second step, the growth of the ZnO seeds into nanorod forests was carried out via a wet chemical route in a bath containing an equimolar solution of zinc nitrate hexahydrate and hexamethylenetetramine. The as-obtained ZnO-coated nylon fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Energy dispersive X-ray spectrum imaging, and X-ray diffraction, respectively. Thermal gravimetric analysis of the pristine and the ZnO-coated nylon fibers was also conducted.