ZnO　nanoparticles　were　successfully　prepared　by　co-precipitation　method.　Polyvinylpyrrolidone　(PVP)　was　proposed　to　graft　onto　the　nanosized　ZnO　as　a　surfactant　to　reduce　the　particle　size　and　also　decreases　the　aggregation.　The　synthesized　nanoparticles　was　characterized　by　X-ray　powder　diffraction　(XRD),　Scanning　Electron　Microscopy　(SEM),　Fourier　transform　infrared　spectroscopy　(FT-IR),　UV-visible　absorption　(UV-vis),　Photoluminescence　(PL)　and　Thermogravimetry　(TG)　study.　The　results　showed　that　the　crystalline　quality,　functional　groups　and　the　optical　property　of　ZnO　nanoparticles　were　improved.　From　SEM　images,　the　dispersion　and　particle　size　improved　a　lot.　(C)　2015　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.