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Shape‐Controlled Synthesis of Zinc Oxide: A Simple Method for the Preparation of Metal Oxide Nanocrystals in Non‐aqueous Medium
Author(s) -
Zhang Zhihua,
Lu Meihua,
Xu Hairuo,
Chin WeeShong
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.200600293
Subject(s) - zinc , nanocrystal , oxide , materials science , aqueous solution , metal , aqueous medium , simple (philosophy) , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , inorganic chemistry , chemistry , metallurgy , organic chemistry , engineering , philosophy , epistemology
A general and facile approach has been developed to prepare various metal oxide nanocrystals from commercially available metal acetate precursors using an amine‐mediated reaction. The influence of temperature and capping agents on the yield and final morphology of the metal oxides nanocrystals was investigated. The approach was applied in the synthesis of shape‐controlled ZnO nanocrystals. ZnO nanowires, nanorods, bullets and triangular nanocrystals were successfully prepared by tuning the molar ratio between amine to zinc acetate precursor. On the basis of FTIR and NMR spectroscopic studies, we propose that the amine could mediate the breakdown of the metal acetates through a nucleophilic attack mechanism. The results suggest that amine can play dual role as both the attacking agent and capping agent in this new methodology.