Zinc oxide nanostructures: growth, properties and applications

Abstract

Zinc oxide is a unique material that exhibits semiconducting and piezoelectric dual properties. Using a solid-vapour phase thermal sublimation technique, nanocombs, nanorings, nanohelixes/nanosprings, nanobelts, nanowires and nanocages of ZnO have been synthesized under specific growth conditions. These unique nanostructures unambiguously demonstrate that ZnO probably has the richest family of nanostructures among all materials, both in structures and in properties. The nanostructures could have novel applications in optoelectronics, sensors, transducers and biomedical sciences. This article reviews the various nanostructures of ZnO grown by the solid-vapour phase technique and their corresponding growth mechanisms. The application of ZnO nanobelts as nanosensors, nanocantilevers, field effect transistors and nanoresonators is demonstrated.

Polar surface effects on the thermal conductivity of ZnO nanowires: a shell-like surface reconstruction-induced preserving mechanism

“…1 The free NWs are typically grown by sublimation of ZnO powder without introducing a catalyst. 3 An interesting phenomenon in the free NW is experimentally-observed planar defects parallel to the (0001) polar surfaces. 45 The shell-like surface reconstruction in Fig.…”

“…1,2,3,4,5,6 . ZnO NWs have been found, primarily due to surface effects resulting from their large surface to volume ratio, to have substantially different properties from their bulk counterparts.…”

Metalloproteins and phytochelatin synthase may confer protection against zinc oxide nanoparticle induced toxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans

“…More specifically, some metal oxide nanomaterials, such as zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs), are antimicrobial and therefore widely used by the cosmetics and paint industries. In bio-medicine they are used to enhance cell imaging and drug delivery (Dufour et al, 2006;Stoimenov et al, 2002;Wang 2004), and in agriculture to control food borne pathogens (Tayel et al, 2011;Nohynek et al 2010).…”

Aspect Ratio Dependence of the Elastic Properties of ZnO Nanobelts

“…1,2 A rich variety of ZnO nanostructures, such as nanocombs, nanorings, nanosprings, nanobelts, nanowires, and nanocages, can be synthesized. 3 ZnO nanostructures have applications as field-effect transistors, 4 gas sensors, 5 field-emission displays, 6 and nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS). 7 All of these applications require the knowledge and the ability to control the mechanical behavior of ZnO nanostructures.…”