Rapid synthesis of ZnO nano-rods by one-step, room-temperature, solid-state reaction and their gas-sensing properties

ZnO nano-rods are prepared by one-step solid-state reaction of zinc acetate dihydrate, sodium hydroxide and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) at room temperature. The samples are characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The gas-sensing properties of the prepared material have been investigated. The results indicate that the as-prepared ZnO nano-rods are uniform with diameters of 10–30 nm and lengths of about 150–250 nm. The relatively high sensor signal and stability of sensors made from ZnO nano-rods demonstrate the potential for developing a new class of sensitive sensors.