Journal of Physical Studies 19(1/2), Article 1602 [4 pages] (2015)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.30970/jps.19.1602

DETERMINATION OF ZnO NANOPARTICLES BY WILLIAMSON–HALL METHOD

B. P. Rudyk¹, B. D. Nechyporuk², N. Yu. Novoseletskyy², V. A. Syaskyy², B. A. Tataryn³
¹National University of Water Management and Nature Resources Use,
11, Soborna St., Rivne, UA-33028, Ukraine
²Rivne State Humanitarian University,
31, Ostafova St., Rivne, UA-33028, Ukraine,
³Lesya Ukrainka Eastern European National University 13, Voli Ave., Lutsk, UA-43025, Ukraine

Nowadays ZnO nanoparticles attracted considerable attention due to their physical and chemical properties for a potential use in electronics, optoelectronics and laser technology. This has great economic and environmental advantages due to cheap raw materials, environment- and biofriendliness of zinc oxide.

There are a few direct (like SEM microscopy) and indirect (like X-ray peak broadening using the Sherrer formula) methods to determine the dimensioning of nanocrystals. A perfect crystal has infinite dimensions, so any finite crystal is imperfect by definition. This imperfection leads to an increase in X-ray peak broadening. Analyzing the X-ray diffraction pattern can quickly make an assessment of average size of the nanocrystals (Sherrer) and lattice strain (Williamson-Hall) that are caused by defects in the surface, packaging, dislocations, etc. A more thorough analysis of the size distribution of nanoparticles by their number, shape, etc., can be performed using direct methods such as SEM microscopy. In this article we try to compare the results of the dimensioning obtained by direct and indirect methods.

The ZnO nanoparticles were prepared by the electrolytic method using zinc electrodes and the NaCl solution as electrolyte at the temperature of 82$^\circ$C. The obtained powder was studied by X-ray diffraction analysis and it showed wurtzite structure of zinc oxide nanoparticles. Size and lattice strain of the nanoparticles were calculated by X-ray peak broadening using the methods of Sherrer and Williamson-Hall. The mean particle size of ZnO nanoparticles was compared to the results obtained by scanning electron microscopy.

PACS number(s): 61.05.Cp, 61.46.Hk, 61.46.-w, 68.37.-d, 68.37.Hk

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