ZnO nanorods obtained by a hydrothermal method
The developed technology for the growth of ZnO nanorods in aqueous solution is extremely simple, fast and does not require the use of any sophisticated equipment. It allows the growth of nanorods over large areas on almost any substrate, and the nanorods obtained are characterised by extremely high crystallographic quality. The application potential of such nanostructures has been demonstrated in silicon photovoltaic cells (the nanorods were an n-type partner and part of a three-dimensional electrode) and in the design of a resistive ultraviolet light detector characterised by much higher sensitivity than commercially used detectors. ZnO nanorods are still being studied, both to understand their properties and for further application work.