Abstract
We present a novel approach for the synthesis of crystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) nanopowders based on the direct interaction of high-power microwave radiation with a zinc wire in atmospheric air. The process utilizes a localized microwave-induced plasma to rapidly vaporize the metal, followed by oxidation and condensation, resulting in the deposition of ZnO nanostructures on glass substrates. Plasma diagnostics confirmed the generation of a plasma in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE), characterized by high electron temperatures. Optical emission spectroscopy highlighted atomic species such as ZnI, ZnII, OI, OII, and NI, as well as molecular species including OH, N(2) and O(2). The spectral fingerprint of N(2) molecules reveals the presence of high energy electrons, while the persistent occurrence of OI and OII emission lines throughout the plasma spectrum reveals that ZnO formation is mainly driven by the continuous dissociation of molecular oxygen. High crystallinity and chemical purity of the synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were confirmed through SEM, TEM, XRD, FTIR, and EDX characterization. The resulting nanorods exhibit a rod-like morphology, with diameters ranging from 12 nm to 63 nm and lengths between 58 nm and 354 nm. This low-cost, high-yield method offers a scalable and efficient route for metal oxide nanomaterial fabrication via direct metal-microwave coupling, providing a promising alternative to conventional physical and chemical synthesis techniques.