Investigation of the dynamics of radiolytic formation of ZnO nanostructured materials by pulse radiolysis

ZnO nanostructures have been synthesized by radiolytic methods. A Cobalt-60 γ-source and a 7 MeV linear electron accelerator (LINAC) was used for the radiolysis experiments. Reducing agent like hydrated electron (eaq−), which is produced in radiolysis of water, was used to synthesize ZnO nanostructure materials from zinc salt. 1 M tert-butanol was used to quench the primary oxidizing radical like hydroxyl radical (OH) radiolytic water solution. Doses of about 80–130 kGy were used to perform radiolysis experiments in the present investigation. Time-resolved pulse radiolysis has been used to monitor the transient species involved in the formation of ZnO nanostructures by monitoring at different wavelengths. A scheme for the formation of the ZnO nanostructured materials by the radiolytic method has been described. The formation of ZnO nanostructures was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements indicated that the size of the nanostructures is in the range of 6–8 nm, which is in agreement with that obtained from XRD. It is interesting to note that ZnO nanostructured materials, as prepared by the radiolytic method, exhibit strong room-temperature fluorescence.