Preparation of nanosized ZnO using α brass

Nanosized ZnOs were synthesized on the surface of α brass coated a film of nickel catalyst at 500-700 °C under atmosphere of O2 and CH4 gases. The nanosized ZnOs have shapes including pillar, leaf, sheet and rod, which were determined by the synthesis temperature and the flow rates of O2 and CH4 gases. The nanosized ZnOs were characterized by electron microscopy including transmission electron microscope for crystal structure, morphology and high resolution images, both field emission scanning electron microscope and scanning electron microscope for morphology, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope equipped in electron microscope for chemical composition. A mechanism was proposed for the growth of nanosized ZnO obtained in this work.