ZnO tetrapods (ZnO-Ts) were synthesized in a vertical flow reactor by gas phase oxidation of Zn vapor in an air atmosphere. The morphology of the product was varied from nearly spherical nanoparticles to ZnO-Ts, together with the partial pressure of Zn and reaction temperature. MgO introduced during synthesis, increased the band gap, the optical transparency in the visible range, and also changed the ZnO-T structure. Fabricated flexible transparent UV sensors showed a 45-fold current increase under UV irradiation with an intensity of 30 μW cm(-2) at a wavelength of 365 nm and response time of 0.9 s.

In this work we propose a novel continuous method for zinc oxide tetrapods (ZnO-Ts) synthesis based on the combustion of micron-sized Zn particles in the air atmosphere. A stable geometry of produced ZnO-T structures in a wide synthesis temperature range in gram quantities was obtained. Stable growth conditions were determined by self-sustainable combustion around the Zn particle, as it was supported by thermodynamic analysis. ZnO-Ts had a high crystallinity and an average leg diameter of 15 ± 5 nm, length of 200 ± 100 nm. A practical application of ZnO-Ts decorated by Au nanoparticles and attached with DNA strands is investigated. The applicability of the synthesized ZnO-Ts for fast and efficient scintillation was also demonstrated, as ZnO-Ts showed an increased yield of the fast component of luminescence.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract