Properties of flower-like ZnO nanostructures synthesized using the chemical bath deposition

Flower-like zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures were synthesized by the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method at 80 °C. The effect of zinc acetate concentration (mol%) and synthesis time on the structure, morphology, optical and photoluminescence properties of the ZnO samples were investigated. XRD analysis showed hexagonal ZnO structure with the average grain size in the order of 45±1 nm. The estimated grain size was found to dependent on the zinc acetate mol% and synthesis time. SEM observations showed the presence of flower-like aggregates. The precursor concentrations and the synthesis time do not have any effect on the shape. TEM micrographs of the ZnO powder confirm the formation of flower-like ZnO nanostructures. EDS analysis showed that with the increase in the mol% zinc acetate the ratio of Zn/O increased. UV measurements show that the absorption edges and the estimated band gap energies of these ZnO nanoparticles are red shifted as the Zn2+ ions in the precursor and synthesis time increases. The luminescence intensity was found to decrease with an increase in the zinc acetate mol% and synthesis time, respectively.