Preparation and Characterization of Needle-Like ZnO on TiO<sub>2</sub> Nanoparticles by Solution-Immersion Method and RF Magnetron Sputtering

Abstract

Needle-like zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures was deposited on titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles by solution-immersion method and Radio Frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering with diffferent RF powers, respectively on a glass substrate to synthesis nanocomposites of ZnO/TiO2. Field Emission Scanning Electrons Microscope (FESEM) images demonstrate that needle-like ZnO (112-1110 nm) are deposited on the surface of the TiO2nanoparticles with the diameter of approximately 36.3-62.9 nm. At 200 W, more needle-like ZnO with smallest average diameter (112 nm) appeared on the TiO2nanoparticles, which also has the smallest average size of 36.3 nm The compositions of elements in the nanocomposites were showed by Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (EDX). All elements of Ti, O, and Zn are observed as major components which confirm the presence of TiO2and ZnO in the composite. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns of the nanocomposites show ZnO formed on TiO2nanoparticles are hexagonal with a wurtzite structure and it revealed ZnO/TiO2thin films were succesfully deposited as nanocomposites of ZnTiO3at 100 W,Zn2TiO4at 150 W and Zn2Ti3O8at 200 W and above.