Synthesis and characterization of flowerlike ZnO nanostructures via an ethylenediamine-meditated solution route

Flowerlike ZnO nanostructures were deposited on Si substrate by choosing hexamethylenetetramine as the nucleation control reagent and ethylenediamine as the chelating and capping reagent. Structural and optical measurements reveal that obtained ZnO exhibits well-defined flowerlike morphology, hexagonal wurtzite structure, uniform distribution on substrate, and strong photoluminescence in ultraviolet band. The well-arrayed pedals of each ZnO flower possess the typical tapering feature, and are built up by many well-aligned ZnO nanorods. Moreover, each single nanorod building up the pedal exhibits the single crystal nature and the growth direction along c-axis. Effects of the precursor composition on the morphology of ZnO were discussed.