Abstract

In the present chapter we aim to overview the synthesis techniques and growth mechanism of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires and their related properties. In particular, here we review both wet and dry synthesis techniques reported in the literature, such as hydrothermal and sol-gel routes, template-assisted growth, electrodeposition process, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), pulsed laser deposition and RF magnetron sputtering. According to each synthesis technique, the chapter reports not only the detailed procedure, but also the advantages and disadvantages, analyzing in particular the properties of ZnO nanowires related to their microstructural and morphological features. The functional properties of ZnO nanostructures are also overviewed with a particular attention to their electrical properties and the related potential applications, exploiting either the semiconductive and piezoelectric behavior of ZnO nanowires. A comprehensive review is here focused on their use as field effect transistor, energy nanogenerators, pH and gas sensors, as well as the use of ZnO nanowires for energy conversion, like photovoltaic cells and water splitting photoelectrochemical cells.