NOVELTY - Zinc oxide structure comprises many microrods or nanorods, where each rod exhibits the wurtzite crystal structure, and the longitudinal axis of each rod is aligned with the (0001) direction of the wurtzite crystal structure. The each rod comprises: (a) a central region, where the surface of the central region comprises six central facets and six central edge regions, each central edge region is located between two central facets; and (b) a tip region connected to the central region, where the width of the rod in the tip region is less than that in the central region.    USE - The zinc oxide structure is useful: for decomposing methanol; for hydrogenation of carbon dioxide (all claimed); as catalyst for methanol formation at low temperature, dimethyl carbonate formation and photocatalysis; in solar cells, fuel cells, electrochemical cells, direct methanol fuel cells, electric vehicle propulsion and in alternative energy technologies including hydrogen generation or storage; and in high density magnetic data storage and as a component or interconnect in nanodevices.    ADVANTAGE - The zinc oxide structure: is a single phase and well-crystallized; and has great commercial and technical potential.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Zinc oxide structure comprises many microrods or nanorods, where each rod exhibits the wurtzite crystal structure, and the longitudinal axis of each rod is aligned with the (0001) direction of the wurtzite crystal structure, and the each rod comprises: (a) a central region, where the surface of the central region comprises six central facets, each central facet corresponding to a crystallographic plane of the form (10-10), (01-10), (-1100), (-1010),(0-110) or (1-100), and six central edge regions, each central edge region is located between two central facets and comprising crystallographic plane of the form (2-1-10) or (-2110); and (b) a tip region connected to the central region, the width of the rod in the tip region is less than that in the central region. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for:    (1) making a zinc oxide structure, comprising (a) preparing a mixture of: a zinc salt or a hydrated zinc salt, the zinc salt is zinc nitrate, zinc acetate, zinc citrate, zinc methacrylate, zinc sulfate or zinc oxalate; a first additive, which is an alcohol comprising a phenyl group; a second additive comprising urea, urea derivative, thiourea and/or thiourea derivative; and an aliphatic alcohol solvent, the aliphatic alcohol having 1-3C atoms, (b) heating the mixture at 180-200 degrees C and maintaining the mixture at the same temperature for 1-12 hours, (c) heating the mixture at 240-300 degrees C and maintaining the mixture at the same temperature for 1-12 hours, (d) removing the alcohol solvent, and (e) calcinating the mixture in air;    (2) a zinc oxide structure obtained by the above method;    (3) decomposing methanol, comprising contacting the zinc oxide structure with a gas comprising methanol vapor at 25-200 degrees C for 0.1-12 hours; and    (4) hydrogenation of carbon dioxide, comprising contacting the zinc oxide structure with a gas comprising carbon dioxide and hydrogen at 160-250 degrees C for 0.5-20 hours.