Akhiruddin^1,, Sugianto¹, Irmansyah¹

ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal method using ethylene glycol as a stabilizer and as well as a template. This study was aimed to examine the influence of hydrothermal duration (3, 6, and 12 hours) on the structures and optical properties of ZnO nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction results show that all peaks appear in the diffraction pattern indicate the hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO. The lattice parameters found just slightly varied with addition of hydrothermal duration. It is found that the particles size decreases whereas the average crystals size increase with hydrothermal duration. The average crystal size found increase with addition of hydrothermal duration. On the other hand, the particle grains were spread evenly distributed with decreasing size with hydrothermal duration increase, as indicated in the SEM images. Optical properties were investigated based on the optical transmission of the ZnO films. It is known that the films strongly absorb the visible region, whereas the absorption edge in the UV region. Bandgap energy of the films found increase with hydrothermal duration, that were 3.18 eV, 3.21 eV and 3.24 eV for 3 hours, 6 hours and 12 hours, respectively.

ZnO nanoparticles, hydrothermal process, duration effect, structues, optical properties