Dec 13 2010
Iran-based, Materials and Energy Research Center (MERC) scientists, have developed zinc oxide nanofibers having tiny average diameters employing electrospinning technology.
According to Ali Mohammad Bazargan, the major scientist of the project, they have fabricated zinc oxide nanofibers having specific features including tiny mean diameter and equal size distribution possessing lengthy, spun architecture. He added that this nanostructure can be efficiently deployed in photovoltaic cells and gas sensors.
Bazargan explained that, the ceramic nanofibers generated by electrospinning technology employs ceramic precursors with polymer compound, demands a separation process to remove the organic elements to attain pure inorganic nanofibers. A precursor solution was prepared and subjected to a robust electrical field, followed by temperature treatments of the composite fibers for transforming it into zinc oxide nanofibers.
He continued that, for an electrospinning process, various factors are converted to process factors and solution factors, for changing the morphology and angles of resulting fibers. Numerous trials were carried out to examine the chemical composition, phase, physical and optical characteristics of the product, after understanding the structural and morphological features, Bazargan remarked.
These zinc oxide nanostructures show unusual behaviors with respect to its twin semiconductive-piezoelectronic nature. Apart from these features, the nanostructure is non-hazardous, and can be deployed in sensors, charged solar cells and UV generating devises.
Source: http://www.merc.ac.ir