Microemulsion synthesis and characterization of aluminum doped ZnO nanorods

Aluminium doped ZnO (AZO) nanorods were synthesized by microemulsion method with different types of surfactants. Scanning electron microscopy observations show that the ZnO nanorods have diameters around about 80 nm and lengths up to several micrometers. The room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of AZO nanorods exhibited a sharp and strong ultraviolet bandgap at 383 nm and a relatively weaker emission associated with the defect level. AZO nanorods synthesized with sodium benzene sulfonate (SBS) surfactant showed lower resistivity than aluminum doped ZnO nanorods synthesized with dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid sodium salt (DBS) surfactant. Resistivity of AZO nanorods synthesized with SBS surfactant showed 2.8×10 3 Ωcm. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)