Synthesis of ZnFeO Nanospheres with Tunable Morphology for Lithium Storage.

ZnFeO (ZFO) nanospheres with complex structures have been synthesized by a one-step simple solvothermal method using two different types of precursors-metal chlorides and nitrates -and were fully characterized by XRD, SEM, XPS, and EDS. The ZFO nanospheres synthesized from chloride salts (ZFO_C) were loose with a size range of 100-200 nm, while the ZFO nanospheres synthesized from nitrate salts (ZFO_N) were dense with a size range of 300-500 nm but consisted of smaller nanoplates. The different morphologies may be caused by the different hydrolysis rates and different stabilizing effects of chloride and nitrate ions interacting with the facets of forming nanoparticles.