Twinned tabour-like ZnO: Surfactant-, template-free synthesis and gas sensing behaviors

► We synthesized twinned tabour-like ZnO microstructures via a solvothermal method without the assistant of any additive and template. ► We found every single ZnO tabour is composed by many single crystal units. ► The gas sensors based on these ZnO microstructures show good gas sensing properties. ► The response of the sensor to 200 ppm ethanol is about 24.64 with the response time of 3 s.