Preparation and characterization of bowl-like porous ZnO film by electrodeposition using two-dimensional photonic crystal template

Abstract

A rapid and low-cost method combining electrodeposition with two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystal template technique to prepare large scale bowl-like porous ZnO films is described. The 2D photonic crystal templates were fabricated by self-assembly of monodispersed polystyrene (PS) microspheres on indium-tin-oxide coated glass substrates using spinning coating method. The interstitial spaces among the spheres of the templates were filled with ZnO via electrodeposition from an aqueous solution containing 0.02 M zinc nitrate as electrolyte under a constant potential of −1.0 V at 65 °C for 10 min. After removal of the PS photonic crystal template, bowl-like porous ZnO film was obtained. The entire process can be accomplished within 30 min. Scanning electron microscopic images showed good homogeneity in morphology, X-ray diffraction spectra demonstrated the wurtzite structure of the obtained ZnO film, and transmission electron microscopy indicated the single-crystallinity of the ZnO. Ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectrophotometer was used to detect the absorption in UV–vis region of the PS template, opal ZnO-PS composite and inverse opal ZnO respectively. Two strong emission bands at 400 and 550 nm were displayed in photoluminescence spectrum.