ABSTRACT
354Synthesis and study of nanomaterials are challenging area of materials research. Researchers have focused on developing diverse properties of nanoamaterials through different methods. There are large factors affecting the changes of physics properties of nanomaterials as compared with its bulk form. One of the important property controlling parameter is its surface morphology. Nanoparticles possess variety of shapes and their names are characterized by their different shapes. For examples nanowires, nanorods, nanotubes, nanorings, nanospheres, nanoflakes, nanoflowers, nanobelts, etc. These shapes or morphologies sometimes arise spontaneously as an effect of a templating or directing agent during synthesis. Morphology of different nanostructures may vary significantly depending on their material composition, crystal structure and manufacturing method. Variation of different synthesis parameters such as temperature, pressure, reagent concentration, treatment time and pH results in different morphologies. Controlling the morphology of nanoparticles is of key importance for exploiting their properties for their use in several emerging technologies. Also morphology variation is an effective way of controlling functionality of nanomaterials because the variation of large number of surface atoms with respect to their surface morphology that determine their physical and chemical properties. In the present chapter, the tuning of optical and electrical properties of metal oxide nanostructures explained on account of various surface morphologies.
