Abstract
Microstructural ZnO whiskers have been fabricated by sintering the mixture of ZnO and graphite powders in air. Scanning electron microscopy characterization showed that the whiskers have hexagonal morphologies with prismatic tips. The measurements of X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Raman scattering spectroscopy showed that the product was composed of wurtzite phase ZnO. The photoluminescence of the micro-whsikers exhibited strong ultraviolet bandedge emission accompanied by a broad weak green band. The growth process has been interpreted by vapor-liquid-solid mechanism. The formation of the hexagonal morphologies has been attributed to the lowest energy argument.