ZnO nanorods (NRs) grown by chemical bath deposition (CBD) are among the most promising semiconducting nanostructures currently investigated for a variety of applications. Still, contrasting experimental results appear in literature on the microscopic mechanisms leading to high aspect-ratio and vertically aligned ZnO NRs. Here, we report on CBD of ZnO NRs by using Zn nitrate salt and hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA), evidencing a double role of HMTA in the NRs growth mechanism. Beyond the well-established pH buffering activity, HMTA is shown to introduce a strong steric hindrance effect biasing the growth along the c-axis and ensuring the vertical arrangement. This twofold function of HMTA should be taken into account for avoiding detrimental phenomena such as merging or suppression of NRs, which occur at low HMTA concentration.

Context. Formamide (NH 2 HCO) and isocyanic acid (HNCO) have been observed as gaseous species in several astronomical environments such as cometary comae and pre-and proto-stellar objects. A debate is open on the formation route of those molecules, in particular if they are formed by chemical reactions in the gas phase and/or on grains. In this latter case it is relevant to understand if the formation occurs through surface reactions or is induced by energetic processing. Aims. We present arguments that support the formation of formamide in the solid phase by cosmic-ion-induced energetic processing of ices present as mantles of interstellar grains and on comets. Formamides, along with other molecules, are expelled in the gas phase when the physical parameters are appropriate to induce the desorption of ices. Methods. We have performed several laboratory experiments in which ice mixtures (H 2 O:CH 4 :N 2 , H 2 O:CH 4 :NH 3 , and CH 3 OH:N 2 ) were bombarded with energetic (30-200 keV) ions (H + or He + ). FTIR spectroscopy was performed before, during, and after ion bombardment. In particular, the formation of HNCO and NH 2 HCO was measured quantiatively. Results. Energetic processing of ice can quantitatively reproduce the amount of NH 2 HCO observed in cometary comae and in many circumstellar regions. HNCO is also formed, but additional formation mechanisms are requested to quantitatively account for the astronomical observations. Conclusions. We suggest that energetic processing of ices in the pre-and proto-stellar regions and in comets is the main mechanism to produce formamide, which, once it is released in the gas phase because of desorption of ices, is observed in the gas phase in these astrophysical environments.

Context. Knowledge about the composition and structure of interstellar ices is mainly based on the comparison between astronomical and laboratory spectra of astrophysical ice analogues. Carbon monoxide is one of the main components of the icy mantles of dust grains in the interstellar medium. Because of its relevance, several authors have studied the spectral properties of solid CO both pure and in mixtures. Aims. The aim of this work is to study the profile (shape, width, peak position) of the solid CO band centered at about 2140 cm −1 at low temperature, during warm up, and after ion irradiation to search for a structural variation of the ice sample. We also report on the appearance of the longitudinal optical-transverse optical (LO-TO) splitting in the infrared spectra of CO films to understand if this phenomenon can be related to a phase change. Methods. We studied the profile of the 2140 cm −1 band of solid CO by means of infrared and Raman spectroscopy. We used a free web interface that we developed that allows us to calculate the refractive index of the sample to measure the thickness of the film. Results. The profile of the fundamental band of solid CO obtained with infrared and Raman spectroscopy does not show any relevant modification after warm up or ion bombardment in the dose range investigated. We explain that the LO-TO splitting is not connected to a structural variation of the film. Ion irradiation causes the formation of new molecular species. Raman spectroscopy allowed us to detect, among other bands, a band centered at 1817 cm −1 that has been attributed to the infrared inactive species C 2 and a band centered at 1767 cm −1 that remains unidentified.