Abstract

Structure Analysis of Zinc Oxide Nanorods Synthesized by Cost Effective Precipitation Method Applicable for UV Protection

Author(s): AP Sunitha, K Nayana, NE Unnimaya

Zinc Oxide (ZnO) has very attractive properties among nanomaterials with wide verity of applications. In this article simple and cost effective synthesis and detailed structure analysis of nanorods of ZnO prepared by chemical precipitation method at room temperature is reported. Powder of as synthesized ZnO nanorods are characterized by XRD, absorption spectra, dynamic light scattering (DLS), TEM and SAED. The XRD pattern shows the wurtzite crystal structure with average crystalline size as 29 nm by Debye-Scherrer formula and 24.5 nm by Williamson-Hall (W. H) plot. W. H plot also give a strain of -0.0004. From XRD, dislocation energies, lattice constants, d space are also tabulated. Broad peak in absorption spectra in ultra violet range indicate that the nanorods are applicable in textiles, sun creams and UV protection windows, industries as an ultraviolet absorber. Ultra violet radiation is very hazardous to human body. So, materials, especially nanomaterials with large surface to volume ratio and ultra violet absorption property have got a lot of acceptance. TEM characterizations also prove the nanorod structure with diameter of the order of 50 nm and length greater than 200 nm. DLS experiment estimated the size of synthesized structure. Selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern verifies the polycrystalline nature of ZnO nanorods and got an interplanar distance of 0.26 nm.