Thesis (Ph.D)--Chemical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2009. / Committee Chair: Deng,Yulin; Committee Member: Hsieh, Jeffery S.; Committee Member: Nair, Sankar; Committee Member: Singh, Preet; Committee Member: Yao, Donggang. Part of the SMARTech Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Collection.

Understanding the fundamentals of the growth of nanostructures is key to controlling their size and morphology. This thesis investigated the supersaturation effect as well as other effects on the growth of two one-dimensional nanomaterials - Magnesium hydroxide sulfate hydrate(MHSH) nanobelt and ZnO nanorod. It was found that the supersaturation for the growth of 1D nanomaterial had to be controlled at low level and it could be controlled through sparingly soluble carbonate salts. To examine the supersaturation effect on one-dimensional nanostructure growth, this study developed a quantitative kinetic model was developed to describe the one-dimensional nanostructure growth. The qualitative investigation and the quantitative model should provide more insight to the processes and some guide-lines for one-dimensional nanostructure growth in the future. This thesis also examines other factors such as agitation and temperature. Some other process parameters can have a significant effect on the growth process. The Zn(NO3)2 and HMT system was used as a model system to demonstrate that agitation had dramatic effects on the final morphology of the nanostructure. Spherical morphology could be obtained through mixing the reaction solution. The building blocks of the nanospheres were similar to those forming the nanorods. Thus, the spherical morphology was believed to result from the breakdown of the free diffusion of building blocks to the growing nanocrystal surface.