Synthesis and characterization of WO3 nanostructures prepared by an aged-hydrothermal method

Nanostructures of tungsten trioxide (WO3) have been successfully synthesized by using an aged route at low temperature (60 °C) followed by a hydrothermal method at 200 °C for 48 h under well controlled conditions. The material was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Specific Surface Area (SBET) were measured by using the BET method. The lengths of the WO3 nanostructures obtained are between 30 and 200 nm and their diameters are from 20 to 70 nm. The growth direction of the tungsten oxide nanostructures was determined along [010] axis with an inter-planar distance of 0.38 nm.