Synthesis of morphological ZnO particles by a facile solution-based chemical method

In this study, a facile solution-based chemical method has been developed to produce ZnO particles in the presence of triethanolamine (TEA) and NaOH. In this novel method, TEA acted as complexing reagents, and NaOH contributed to the transformation of ZnO precursor (Zn–TEA complex) into ZnO particles. The core of this new strategy is to transform Zn–TEA complex into morphological ZnO particles directly by a facile solution method. The results from transmission electron microscope (TEM) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) analysis revealed that the morphologies of the as-prepared ZnO samples evolved from slices to quasi-spheres by increasing the amount of TEA. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) tests showed that these ZnO samples had wurtzite structures. A reasonable mechanism for the transformation of Zn–TEA complex into morphological ZnO particles was supplied.