Zinc oxalate nanorods: a convenient precursor to uniform nanoparticles of ZnO

Nanorods of zinc oxalate dihydrate have been synthesized using the reverse micellar route. These nanorods were decomposed at 450 °C in air to obtain nanoparticles of zinc oxide. Transmission electron microscopy shows the nanorods to be 120 nm in diameter and 600 nm in length. The ZnO nanoparticles are 55 nm in diameter. The photoluminescence studies show two peaks at 370 and 403 nm which can be ascribed to free excitonic transition and donor–acceptor pair transition respectively. The temperature dependent PL intensity shows an anomalous non-monotonous temperature dependence probably due to two different optical processes.