Fabrication, characterization and properties of flowerlike ZnS-ZnO heterogeneous microstructures built up by ZnS-particle-strewn ZnO microrods

In the present paper, flowerlike ZnS-ZnO heterogeneous microstructures built up by ZnS-particle-strewn ZnO microrods were successfully obtained at 120 degrees C for 10 h via a simple one-pot hydrothermal route without the assistance of any surfactant or template, employing S, Zn(CH3COO)(2) center dot 2H(2)O, NaOH, and NH3 center dot H2O as reactants. The optical properties of the as-prepared product are different from those of pure ZnO nanocrystals, which were prepared under the same conditions. Meanwhile, the electrochemical research of the products showed that flowerlike ZnS-ZnO heterogeneous microstructures had a strong ability to promote electron transfers between Hb and the Au electrode. The phase and morphologies of the products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy and X-ray energy dispersive spectra.