DEVELOPMENT OF

ZINC OXIDE NANORODS FOR

ENERGY HARVESTING

NG JOE HOONG

ENGINEERING SCIENCE PROGRAMME

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

2010/2011
 DEVELOPMENT OF
ZINC OXIDE NANORODS FOR
ENERGY HARVESTING

NG JOE HOONG

A THESIS SUBMITTED

FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING

ENGINEERING SCIENCE PROGRAMME

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1: Introduction………………………………………………………………………..1

1.1 Overview…………………………………………………………………………..1

1.2 Objective…………………………………………………………………………..1

1.3 Outline of Vertical Nanowire Array Integrated Nanogenerator (VING)…………2

1.4 Hydrothermal synthesis of nanorods……………………………………………...2

1.5 Electrodeposition synthesis of nanorods………………………………………….2

1.6 Top-down patterning and synthesis of nanorods…………………………………3

Chapter 2: Hydrothermal Synthesis of Nanorods…………………………………………….4

2.1 Preliminary hydrothermal experiments…………………………………………...4

2.1.1 Growth of ZnO nanorods on gold-coated silicon without a seed

layer………………………………………………………………….....4

2.1.2 Addition of seed layer to substrate before growth of ZnO

nanorods………………………………………………………………..5

2.1.3 Increase in concentration of growth solution, without presence of

seed layer……………………………………………………………….7

2.1.4 Conclusion………………………………………………………………8

2.2 Addition of polyethyleneimine (PEI)……………………………………………..8

2.3 Addition of ammonium hydroxide………………………………………………..9

Chapter 3: Electrodeposition Synthesis of Nanorods………………………………………..10

3.1 Preliminary electrodeposition experiments………………………………………10

3.1.1 Initial electrodeposition experiment……………………………………10

3.1.2 Verification of the electrodeposition effect……………………………11

3.1.3 Reduction of seed density……………………………………………...12

3.1.4 Dilution of seed solution to reduce nucleation density………………...13

3.1.5 Increasing growth time to obtain longer nanorods……………………..14

3.2 Replacement of power source with Keithley 4200 SCS…………………………15

 3.2.1 Initial electrodeposition experiment…………………………………....15

3.2.2 Electrodeposition with constant current applied……………………….15

3.3 Growth of nanorods on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates………….…………...16

3.3.1 Initial electrodeposition on ITO substrate……………………………...16

3.3.2 Alteration of growth solution…………………………………………..17

3.4 Growth of nanorods in multiple stages…………………………………………..18

3.4.1 Multiple-growth of nanorods vs single-growth of nanorods…………...18

3.5 Growth of nanorods with varying step-up voltage……………………………….21

3.5.1 Two-step electrodeposition…………………………………………….21

3.5.2 Three-step electrodeposition…………………………………………...21

3.6 Incorporation of reference electrode into experiments…………………………...22

3.6.1 Initial electrodeposition experiment incorporating reference

electrode………………………………………………………………..22

3.7 Redesign of electrodeposition apparatus…………………………………………24

Chapter 4: Top-Down Lithography…………………………………………………………..27

4.1 Introduction……………………………………………………………………....27

4.2 Patterning of resist on sapphire using chrome masks…………………………….28

4.3 Direct-patterning of resist on sapphire using laser writer………………………..30

4.3.1 Growth of zinc oxide nanorods using AZ1518 resist…………………..30

4.3.2 Growth of zinc oxide nanorods using AZ1512 resist…………………..31

4.4 Direct-patterning of resist on gold using laser writer…………………………….32

4.4.1 Growth of zinc oxide film on gold substrate without resist……………32

4.4.2 Optimization of the power of the laser writer in patterning

gold substrate………………………………………………………....33

4.4.3 Growth of film on gold surface patterned with AZ1512 resist………...35

Chapter 5: Additional Nanostructures Synthesized…………………………………………..36

5.1 Nanoflowers……………………………………………………………………...36

5.1.1 Initial formation of nanoflowers………………………………………..36

 5.1.2 Reproducibility of nanoflowers………………………………………..37

Chapter 6: Conclusion and Future Work…………………………………………………….38

6.1 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………….38

6.2 Future Work……………………………………………………………………..38

6.2.1 Replace gold with an alternative metal………………………………...38

6.2.2 Replace AZ1512 resist with AZ1518 resist or SU-8 resist…………….39

6.2.3 Develop a working device……………………………………………...39

Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………….40