Template Growth of ZnO Nanorods and Microrods with Controllable Densities.

ZnO nanorod/microrod arrays with controllable surface distribution densities were successfully synthesized on glass substrates via a low-temperature template-assisted aqueous solution growth method. The influences of the pH of the solution on the formation and continuing growth of ZnO crystals were studied. It was found that the variation of pH in the reaction system significantly affects the density of homogeneous nucleation on the template surface. With a low surface density of the nanorod arrays, the effects of solution composition on the growth of ZnO crystals can be clearly revealed, and these have been demonstrated with the formation of ZnO nanorods in Zn 2++ Al 3++ HMT solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]