Effect of Supersaturation on the Growth of Zinc Oxide Nanostructured Films by Electrochemical Deposition

The changes in crystal growth habit of electrodeposited zinc oxide with zinc nitrate concentration are explained by changes in the levels of saturation at the electrode. Three growth regimes are found between 0.5 and 50 mM. For concentrations less than 2 mM, the growth is one-dimensional. Nanorods grow by screw dislocations from the outside inward, no coalescence is observed, and their surface shows pyramid-like features. For concentrations above 20 mM, the growth is two-dimensional. Large levels of supersaturation favor the nucleation on the low indexes faces and large sheets are observed. In the intermediate regime of growth, the growth is pseudo three-dimensional. Nanorods with a conical ends grow initially before coalescing and forming dense films.