Uniform ZnO nanorods derived from lithium ions as a growth controlling agent in non-aqueous medium

High quality (single-crystalline, uniform, well-shaped, and phase-pure) ZnO nanorods can be synthesized by using lithium ions as a growth controlling agent in non-aqueous medium. The results suggest that the hetero-ions can play a unique role in the control of the size/morphology of colloidal inorganic nanocrystals in many circumstances.