A novel route to ZnO nanorods with small diameters of 20 nm

•The ZnO nanorods with small diameters of 20 nm were prepared.•The ZnO was formed by an novel “in situ consumed template” route.•Formation mechanisms were discussed in detail.

The ZnO nanorods with small diameters of 20 nm were prepared successfully by an easy “in situ consumed template” route. In the synthesis, Zn(Ac)2 were used as Zn source and dodecanethiol (DT) was used as coordinated agents in ethanol solvent. The samples were characterized detailed by XRD, TEM and IR techniques. The results indicated that the ZnO rods were uniform in diameters with good crystallinity. Time-dependent experiments indicated that the ZnO rods are grown within the Zn–DT complex (a complex composed of Zn and DT) that was formed at the beginning of the reaction. With prolonging the reaction time, the Zn–DT “template” was gradually in situ consumed and transformed into ZnO, and finally, the ZnO nanorods with diameters of 20 nm were obtained. The method here provides the new route for ZnO nanorods with small diameters.

Graphical abstractThe ZnO nanorods with small diameters of 20 nm were prepared by an interesting “in situ consumed template” route.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide