Abstract
Length-tailored, highly orientated, single-crystalline hexagonal and well-aligned ZnO nanowhiskers were grown onto F-doped SnO2 conductive glass (FTO) substrates with a textured ZnO-seed layer at 88oC using an aqueous solution. The aqueous solution for growth of ZnO nanowhiskers included zinc nitrate hexahydrate, hexamethylenetetramine and polyethylenimine. Crystal structure and morphology of ZnO nanowhiskers were determined by X-ray diffraction and FE-SEM, respectively. Orientation and alignment of ZnO nanowhiskers depended on the crystal growth habit itself and the textured ZnO-seed layer formed on the surface of FTO substrate, respectively. The addition of branched PEI, which may be adsorbed on the nonpolar surface of ZnO crystals, improved the growth of ZnO nanowhiskers along the c-axis.
