A Novel Method for Continuous Synthesis of ZnO Tetrapods

In this work we propose a novel continuous method for zinc oxide tetrapod (ZnO-T) synthesis based on the combustion of micron-sized Zn particles in an air atmosphere. A stable geometry of ZnO-T structures produced over a wide synthesis temperature range in gram quantities was obtained. Stable growth conditions were determined by self-sustainable combustion around the Zn particle, as supported by thermodynamic analysis. ZnO-Ts had a high crystallinity, an average leg diameter of 15 ± 5 nm, and a length of 200 ± 100 nm. A practical application of ZnO-Ts decorated by Au nanoparticles and attached using DNA strands is investigated. The applicability of the synthesized ZnO-Ts for fast and efficient scintillation was also demonstrated, as ZnO-Ts showed an increased yield of the fast component of luminescence.