In situ synthesis of ZnO nanostructures on a zinc substrate assisted with mixed cationic/anionic surfactants

Different morphologies of ZnO nanostructures have been successfully prepared on zinc foil via a mild hydrothermal process in the presence of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), by using zinc foil as both zinc source and substrate. X-ray diffraction (XRD), filed emission scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), Raman spectra and room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra are used to characterize the obtained products. The observed Raman scattering and PL results confirm that as-obtained ZnO nanostructures have a good crystal quality with a wurtzite hexagonal phase and exhibit good optical property. A reasonable formation mechanism was proposed based on the experimental results.