Hydrothermal growth of novel radiolarian-like porous ZnO microspheres on compact TiO2 substrate

Radiolarian-like porous ZnO microspheres, consisting of ZnO nanosheets about 500 nm in length, 100 nm in width and 50 nm in thickness, have been synthesized by a facile hydrothermal process on compact TiO2 substrate. The products were characterized and analyzed by SEM, TEM and XRD. Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED) pattern reveals that the nanosheets in ZnO microspheres are single crystalline. The preference orientation along (101¯0) plane was observed by the XRD and SAED results. A possible formation mechanism was preliminary proposed for the formation of the novel nanostructure.