Room Temperature ZnO Mesocrystal Formation in the Hydrated Ionic Liquid Precursor (ILP) Tetrabutylammonium Hydroxide

Zinc oxide particles can be grown from the hydrated ionic liquid precursor (ILP) tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAH) at room temperature. The final particles are micrometers in size and are so-called mesocrystals, that is, larger crystals composed of nanoscale building blocks. Electron microscopy and particle size analysis reveal that, unlike ZnO grown from aqueous solution, the particle number in the TBAH/water mixtures decreases with increasing reaction time. Initially, numerous small particles precipitate. They transform into fewer, but larger, mesocrystals composed of rod-like primary particles.