Hydrothermal synthesis of WO3 nanorods and their performance in the adsorption of Rhodamine B and the synthesis of adipic acid

WO3 nanorods have been synthesized with the aid of p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) through a facile hydrothermal method. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and N2 adsorption–desorption. The results of XRD and N2 adsorption–desorption showed that the sample was hexagonal phase with a large surface area of 48.3 m2 g−1. The TEM result indicated that the as-prepared nanorods had a diameter of 20–50 nm and lengths of several microns. Compared to the commercial WO3 powders, the WO3 nanorods exhibited a higher adsorption activity for Rhodamine B (RhB) and a higher catalytic performance for the synthesis of adipic acid. The results demonstrate that the WO3 nanorods have excellent potential applications for the removal of RhB and the synthesis of adipic acid.