Preparation of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles at Low Temperature Using New Organometallic Zinc Carbamate Precursor

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were synthesized in 2-methoxyethanol without assistance of base, surfactant, template, etc., at relatively low temperature of 125 °C, by a single-step thermolysis. Thermolysis of Zn(IBC)2 led to the formation of almost pure ZnO NPs of various shapes. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images showed that oleic acid–stabilized ZnO NPs with diameters of 10–20 nm were well dispersed in organic solvent. Resulting ZnO was characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution TEM. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra of ZnO NPs annealed at different temperatures showed different emission peaks in the range of 400–700 nm. The ZnO NPs prepared at 125 °C in air caused a further shift of the defect-related PL maximum toward the lower energy range (red-light emission) in comparison with the one prepared at 125 °C in 2-methoxyethanol.