Facile template-free fabrication of olive-like ZnO nanoparticles and their photoluminescence properties

A facile template-free solvothermal approach was applied to synthesize olive-like ZnO nanoparticles with an average diameter of about 300 nm and an average length of about 600 nm. XRD, TEM, SEM, SAED, EDX and PL spectra were employed to characterize the crystal phase, morphologies, the chemical compositions, and optical properties of the ZnO nanostructure. The experimental results showed the as-obtained ZnO was single-crystalline nanostructure and the concentration of CH₃COO⁻ solution played a key role in controlling the morphology of ZnO. The growth mechanism of ZnO was tentatively investigated. Besides, the olive-like ZnO nanoparticles exhibit a very strong ultraviolet emission centered at 383 nm and a weak green luminescence emission at around 522 nm.