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Morphology and size controlled synthesis of zinc oxide nanostructures and their optical properties

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Abstract

We report the facile synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures with different sizes and morphologies by a rapid microwave assisted synthesis using ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and/or trisodium citrate as chelating agents and their characterization. The obtained ZnO nanostructures having hexagonal Wurtzite structure with different morphologies. With the aid of EDTA and/or trisodium citrate, flowers, flakes, solid spheres and porous spheres were obtained by controlling the crystal growth habit and the concentration of ZnO growth units under microwave irradiation. The optical behaviour was analyzed using UV–Vis spectroscopic technique which indicates that the prepared ZnO nanostructures exhibit band gap between 3.27 and 3.37 eV due to potential fluctuations in electronic band structure of ZnO owing to surface-related defects and/or adsorbed species.

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Acknowledgements

G. Suresh Kumar would like to express his sincere thanks to University Grant Commission, India for financial support through minor research project scheme [File No: 4-4/2015-16 (MRP/UGC SERO)]. The authors express their special thanks to STIC, Cochin, India for providing TEM and UV-DRS facilities for characterizing the samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, K.S. Rangasamy College of Arts and Science (Autonomous), Tiruchengode, Tamil Nadu, 637 215, India

    J. Duraimurugan, G. Suresh Kumar & M. Venkatesh

  2. Department of Energy Studies, Periyar University, Salem, Tamil Nadu, 636 011, India

    J. Duraimurugan & P. Maadeswaran

  3. Department of Physics, Periyar University, Salem, Tamil Nadu, 636 011, India

    E. K. Girija

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  1. J. Duraimurugan
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  2. G. Suresh Kumar
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  3. M. Venkatesh
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  4. P. Maadeswaran
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  5. E. K. Girija
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Correspondence to G. Suresh Kumar.

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Duraimurugan, J., Kumar, G.S., Venkatesh, M. et al. Morphology and size controlled synthesis of zinc oxide nanostructures and their optical properties. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 29, 9339–9346 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-018-8964-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-018-8964-9

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