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Functional Inversion of Trisodium Citrate from a [0001] Growth Suppressor to a Promoter in ZnO Thin Film Fabrication

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Trisodium citrate is a well-established molecular modifier for ZnO thin films renowned for its role in suppressing [0001] growth by selectively passivating the (0002) facet in conventional, slow-growth fabrication methods. A paradoxical functional inversion is demonstrated herein: under fast-growth conditions using a mist-based fabrication, trisodium citrate acts as a powerful promoter, yielding well-aligned, high-aspect-ratio nanorods with a strong [0001] orientation. This functional switch is attributed to a fundamental change in the dominant growth unit, from the neutral Zn(OH) 2 species prevalent under slow-growth conditions to the anionic Zn(OH) 4 2– complex enabled by the fast-growth process. This change in growth unit chemistry activates the transformation of citrate from a static suppressor into a mobile promoter via surface diffusion and lowering the crystallization energy barrier. These findings establish a new framework where the synthesis kinetics dictate the dominant growth unit chemistry, which, in turn, governs the ultimate function of a molecular additive, offering a new strategy for the rational fabrication of anisotropic nanostructures.

Source: ACS Omega

DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.5c07099

Authors: Lo Tuan Son, Yuta Kubota, Hajime Wagata, Nobuhiro Matsushita

Institutions: Institute of Science Tokyo, Meiji University

Language: English

Topic: ZnO doping and properties

Subfield: Materials Chemistry

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,935

Funders: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Kato Foundation for Promotion of Science