Porous-structured nickel oxide (PsNiO) was obtained through the oxidization of a nickel thin film. The nickel thin film was deposited using the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method on a nickel foil as a substrate. The results show uniform PsNiO after the oxidization of the nickel thin film at 750∘C for 1 h. X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicates formation of the NiO crystalline structure. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) reveals different morphology on the surface of the nickel foil (sample A) and on the nickel thin film (sample B). Comparison of the FESEM results after oxidization shows that the PsNiO on the nickel thin film was more regular and controllable than the NiO layer on the nickel foil. The FESEM images also show that the thickness of the nickel thin film affected the PsNiO size obtained after oxidization. This resulted from the growth of the porous structure at grain boundaries and from the grain sizes. The electrochemical properties of the PsNiO as an electrode are investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV). These results show the effect of PsNiO size on the current of anodic peak.
Three-dimensional ZnO multipods are successfully synthesized on functional substrates using the vapor transport method in a quartz tube. The functional surfaces, which include two different distributions of Ag nanoparticles and a layer of commercial Ag nanowires, are coated onto silicon substrates before the growth of ZnO nanostructures. The structures and morphologies of the ZnO/Ag heterostructures are investigated using X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The sizes and shapes of the Ag particles affect the growth rates and initial nucleations of the ZnO structures, resulting in different numbers and shapes of multipods. They also influence the orientation and growth quality of the rods. The optical properties are studied by photoluminescence, UV-vis, and Raman spectroscopy. The results indicate that the surface plasmon resonance strongly depends on the sizes and shapes of the Ag particles.
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