Synthesis and characterization of porous sphere-like ZnO with dendrite nanocrystals from layered inorganic–organic nanocomposite on titanium substrate

The porous sphere-like ZnO inorganic–organic nanocomposites have been prepared by self-assembly at the present of CTAB (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CH3(CH2)15N+(CH3)3Br−) surfactant on the titanium substrate. After high temperature oxidation, all the organic were removed and the porous sphere-like ZnO dendrite nanocrystals were obtained. The resultant products have been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The XRD pattern shows that the as-synthesized porous sphere-like is multilayered inorganic–organic nanocomposite, and the sample calcined at 500 °C for 2 h has a hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure. FE-SEM and TEM images demonstrate that porous sphere-like ZnO dendrite nanocrystals are formed. A possible formation mechanism is preliminary proposed for the formation of the novel nanostructure.