Single-Crystal ZnO Cup Based on Hydrothermal Decomposition Route

With maleic anhydride-modified PS (m-PS) microspheres as a template (core) and zinc nitrate and diethanolamine (DEA) as the starting materials, the m-PS/ZnO core−shell structure was synthesized by a wet chemical route. ZnO clusters were synthesized through controlled hydrothermal decomposition of Zn-DEA chelate at 70−90 °C and absorbed on the surface of m-PS spheres by electrostatic attraction; the preferential growth of ZnO nuclei resulted in a cup-shape shell around the m-PS core. Finally, single-crystal ZnO with a hollow and polyhedral structure was obtained after calcination at 500 °C.