Synthesis and characterization of hexagonal shaped nanocrystalline zinc oxide powders

Nanocrystalline ZnO powders are synthesized using a quick, simple and inexpensive combustion method. Glycine and zinc nitrate, used as fuel and oxidant/cation sources respectively, were mixed together at room temperature to form a slurry or gel. A series of experiments were performed to synthesize nanoparticles for different fuel to oxidant ratios. The rate of heating and stirring greatly influenced the combustion process. The as-synthesized powder was heat treated at elevated temperatures for varying time to remove adsorbed impurities from the surface of the ZnO nanoparticles. Both the as-synthesized and heat treated powders were characterized using a variety of analytical techniques. The hexagonal wurtzite phase of the ZnO powder was revealed from x-ray diffraction measurements. A decrease in the x-ray diffraction density (Dx) and the bulk density (D) resulted in an increase in percentage porosity (P) of as-synthesized and heat treated ZnO powders. The range of fuel to oxidant ratios used in the present work indicates that they had a strong influence on the grain size of ZnO powders. The average grain size estimated by using the Scherer formula indicated an approximate value of 6-21 nm for the as-synthesized and heat treated samples. Copyright © 2012, IGI Global.