Controllable synthesis and characterization of tube brush-like ZnO nanowires produced via a simple chemical vapor deposition method

Tube brush-like ZnO nanostructures were synthesized by a simple chemical vapor deposition method with Zn and ZnO as precursors. These special ZnO nanostructures were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope and Cathodoluminescence (CL) techniques. Empty backbones or comb ribbons backbones were found inside the tube brush-like ZnO structures and fuzzy ZnO nanowires outside. Outside ZnO nanowires grow along the c axis and show green CL emission. The growth mechanism of the hierarchical ZnO nanostructures was investigated by a series of experiments at different growth temperatures and different duration times, and a secondary growth mechanism has been proposed and discussed.