Electrochemical synthesis of hexagonal hollow zno nanostructures

A simple and controllable one-step electrode position process is proposed in order to obtain ZnO nanotubes. Zinc oxide thin films were grown on fluorine-doped tin oxide by electrode position from an aqueous electrolyte containing zinc nitrate and potassium nitrate. Generally, in aqueous electrolytes ZnO is electrochemically deposited in the form of hexagonal nanocolumns. These nanocolumns grow perpendicularly to the substrate until reaching amaximum height ofabout 2 µm and then the perpendicular growth vanishes and the solid nanocolumns develop to hexagonal hollow structures. Several characteristics of the electrodeposited films such as thickness, morphology and crystalline structure were obtained as a function of thed eposited charge. The evolution of the morphology of the electrodeposited layers as a function of time was monitored by Scanning Electron Microscopy. X-Ray Diffraction confirms that hexagonal nanotubes are preferentially oriented along the (002) direction.