Structural and vibrational properties of ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by the chemical precipitation method

highlights•ZnO nanoparticles synthesized by the chemical method without any impurity.•Chemical reaction and kinetics along with calculation of free energy of formation.•Extensive XRD analysis employing various mathematical methods.•Strong correlation among vibrational and structural properties is established.

In this article we study the structural and vibrational properties of ZnO nanoparticles. The details of process and mechanism responsible for the synthesis of nanoparticles by a high yield yet facile chemical precipitation method are explained. The prepared nanomaterial was subjected to various characterizations. Elemental composition of ~30 nm average size nanoparticles was evident through transmission electron microscope (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Identification of hexagonal wurtzite phase and determination of lattice parameters, crystallite size, strain, crystallinity index, ZnO bond length, Young's modulus, specific surface area, and dislocation density of prepared ZnO nanocrystallites were revealed through extensive X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Vibrational properties of prepared nanoparticles are determined through micro-Raman (μR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies. The FTIR and micro-Raman investigations of Infrared and Raman active vibrational modes of ZnO nanoparticles are not only mutually supportive but more significantly, the vibrational properties thus determined are highly correlated with the structural properties determined through TEM, EDS and XRD investigations.

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