ZnO nanoparticles with controlled shapes and sizes prepared using a simple polyol synthesis

Nanocrystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) particles with controlled shapes and sizes were prepared at 180 ^°C by a simple polyol method. The amount of water and the method of addition played an important role in determining the characteristics of the synthesized particles. Rod-shaped ZnO particles with major axis lengths of ∼114 nm were obtained by heating the precursor solution, while equiaxial particles with average diameters of ∼24 nm were prepared by injecting water into hot precursor solution. Increasing the amount of water added to the precursor solution enlarged the aspect ratio of the rod-shaped particles and increased the particle size of the equiaxial particles due to enhanced hydrolysis and condensation of the Zn ion complex.