Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Electrochemical synthesis of ZnO coatings from water–isopropanol mixed baths: control over oriented crystallization

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Electroreduction of an aqueous solution of a soluble Zn salt results in the deposition of ZnO crystallites with hexagonal columnar morphology. The crystallites grow with their long axes normal to the substrate resulting in adherent coatings with a strong c-axis orientation. This phenomenon is on account of the polarity of the 001 crystal face combined with the high dielectric constant of water. When the dielectric constant of the solvent is changed by making a mixture of water and isopropanol, there is a change in the direction of orientation of the coating. The switch takes place in the sequence [001] → [102], [103] → unoriented → [100], [110] as the isopropanol concentration is raised in a step-wise manner to 60% (v/v). The switch in orientation is caused by the tilt of the long axes of the hexagonal columns of ZnO with respect to the normal to the substrate. Above 60% isopropanol concentration, ZnO deposition is suppressed. This work demonstrates solution-mediated control over oriented crystallization.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hartnagel HL, Dawar AL, Jain AK, Jagadish C (1995) Semiconducting transparent thin films. Institute of Physics, Bristol

    Google Scholar 

  2. Park WI, Yi GC (2004) Adv Mater 16:87

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Hosono E, Fujihara S, Kimuna T (2004) Electrochem Solid-State Lett 7:C49

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Jacobs H, Mokwa W, Kohi D, Heiland G (1985) Surf Sci 160:217

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Pern AS (1994) Am Ceram Soc Bull 73:139

    Google Scholar 

  6. Stolt L, Hedstrom J, Ruckh M, Kessler J, Velthaus KO, Schock HW (1993) Appl Phys Lett 62:597

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Weans WW, Yamada A, Konagai M, Takahashi K (1994) J Appl Phys 33:283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Sang B, Konagai M (1996) J Appl Phys 35:602

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Bae SY, Seo HW, Park J (2004) J Phy Chem B 108:5206

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Izaki M, Omi T (1996) J Electrochem Soc 143:L53

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Izaki M, Omi T (1996) Appl Phys Lett 68:2439

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Izaki M, Omi T (1997) J Electrochem Soc 144:1949

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Peulon S, Lincot D (1996) Adv Mater 8:166

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Peulon S, Lincot D (1998) J Electrochem Soc 145:864

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Pauporte T, Lincot D (1999) Appl Phys Lett 75:3817

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Pauporte T, Lincot D (2000) Electrochim Acta 45:3345

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Canava B, Lincot D (2000) J Appl Electrochem 30:711

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Pauporte T, Lincot D (2001) J Electrochem Soc 148:C310

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Pauporte T, Lincot D (2001) J Electroanal Chem 517:54

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Pauporte T, Cortes R, Froment M, Beaumont B, Lincot D (2002) Chem Mater 14:4702

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Goux A, Pauporte T, Chivot J, Lincot D (2005) Electrochim Acta 50:2239

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Liu R, Vertegel AA, Bohannan EW, Sorenson TA, Switzer JA (2001) Chem Mater 13:508

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Limmer SJ, Kulp EA, Switzer JA (2006) Langmuir 22:10535

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Jayakrishnan R, Hodes G (2003) Thin Solid Films 440:19

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Lin KF, Cheng HM, Hsu HC, Lin LJ, Hsieh WF (2005) Chem Phys Lett 409:208

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Prasad BE, Kamath PV, Upadhya S (2008) J Am Ceram Soc 91:3870

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Joseph S, Kamath PV (2007) J Electrochem Soc 154:E102

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Meyer B, Marx D (2003) Phys Rev B 67:035403

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Li WJ, Shi EW, Zhong WZ, Yin ZW (1999) J Cryst Grow 203:186

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Wang ZL (2004) J Phys Condens Matter 16:R829

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Akerlof G (1932) J Am Chem Soc 54:4125

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Mandin Ph, Cense JM, Picard G, Lincot D (2006) Electrochim Acta 52:1296

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Mandin Ph, Cense JM, Fabian C, Lincot D (2007) Comp Chem Eng 31:980

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the University Grants Commission, Government of India (GOI) for financial support. PVK is a recipient of the Ramanna Fellowship of the Department of Science and Technology, GOI.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Central College, Bangalore University, Bangalore, 560 001, India

    Belavalli E. Prasad & P. Vishnu Kamath

Authors
  1. Belavalli E. Prasad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. Vishnu Kamath
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. Vishnu Kamath.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

ESM 1

(DOC 689 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Prasad, B.E., Kamath, P.V. Electrochemical synthesis of ZnO coatings from water–isopropanol mixed baths: control over oriented crystallization. J Solid State Electrochem 14, 2083–2088 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-010-1039-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-010-1039-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation