Stress and lattice constants are significant factors considered in evaluating the deformation mode of crystalline materials. Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructured thin films were prepared via the process of wet oxidation of Zn at temperatures varying from 420 to 570 degrees C. Structural, elemental and optical characterizations were carried out using various techniques, to investigate the properties of the samples. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed improvement in the ZnO structure and the grain size of the ZnO became larger as the oxidation temperature was increased, while maintaining a constant flow rate of wet oxygen. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns also showed that ZnO films suffered from compressive stress due to elongation in the lattice constant. With increase in the oxidation temperature, the compressive stress became tensile stress because of the decrease in the lattice constants. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra revealed the influence of stress on the energy band gap, with wet oxidation further giving rise to the transition of stress from compressive to tensile. (c) 2012 Published by Elsevier B.V.