Nanocrystalline ZnO from siloxy-substituted single-source precursors

Abstract
We report here the synthesis and growth of nanocyrstalline ZnO particles from solid and the CVS of nanoparticles size < 10nm from siloxy-substituted di-, tri-,tetra- and polynuclear ZnO-clusters. ZnO is of interest for a wide range of applicaticons such as electrodes for solar cells or for electroluminescence devices. The ZnO-aggregates as molecular precursors are accessible by simple reactions of ZnR'₂ with the respective silanoles R₃SiOH, affording the dimeric [(Me₃Si)₂NZnOSiR₃]₂, trinuclear [(MeZn)₂Zn(OSiR₃)₄], tetranuclear heterocubanes [MeZnOSiR₃]₄ and the polymeric [(Me₃SiO)₂Zn]_n respectively. Surprisingly, they are useful single-source precursors for low-temperature synthesis of ZnO particles in solid state and through chemical vapor synthesis (CVS).