Characterization of vertically aligned zinc oxide nanorods via a rapid microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis process

This study presents an approach for the synthesis of vertically aligned zinc oxide nanorods (NR-ZnO) via a rapid microwave-assisted, low-cost, low-temperature, and non-time-consuming hydrothermal process. Two types of substrates, silicon and ITO, were used to compare the growth of vertically aligned NR-ZnO over those substrates. All X-ray diffraction reflections of the NR-ZnO were found that they were consistent with the wurtzite P63 mc space group, and the obtained scanning electron microscopy images indicated an aspect ratio of ~ 4. The polymer poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was added to the NR-ZnO using a spin-coating method to assemble a hybrid heterojunction. Morphological and optical characterizations were performed. The NR-ZnO samples showed their contribution on spectral absorption in the UV-Visible region.