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Hierarchical structured tungsten oxide nanocrystals via hydrothermal route: microstructure, formation mechanism and humidity sensing

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Abstract

Hierarchical structured tungsten oxide nanocrystals were synthesized via the hydrothermal route assisted by a capping agent of ammonium benzoate (AB). The products were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The experimental results show that the crystal microstructures could be changed from flower-shape to star-shape by changing the mole ratio of ammonium benzoate to sodium tungstate (AB/ST). The crystal phases were changed from orthorhombic WO3⋅0.33H2O to hexagonal WO3 with the increase in the concentration of AB. Based on the results from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and time-dependent growth analysis, a self-assembly growth mechanism has been proposed for the formation of flower, spherical, and star-netted microstructures at different mole ratios of the AB/ST. The star-netted WO3 nanocrystals were applied as a sensitive layer for humidity sensing performed using a Love-mode ZnO/36∘ Y-cut LiTaO3 surface acoustic wave device, and a stable and sensitive response to the change of relative humidity was obtained.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (ZYGX2009J046 and ZYGX2009X007), the Sichuan Young Scientists Foundation (2010JQ0006), the Royal Society-Research Grant (RG090609), Carnegie Trust Funding, Royal Society of Edinburgh, and Royal Academy of Engineering-Research Exchanges with China and India Awards.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Physics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, P.R. China

    Hua-Feng Pang, Zhi-Jie Li, Xia Xiang & Xiao-Tao Zu

  2. Thin Film Centre, Scottish Universities Physics Alliance (SUPA), University of the West of Scotland, Paisley, PA1 2BE, UK

    Yong-Qing Fu & Frank Placido

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  1. Hua-Feng Pang
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  2. Zhi-Jie Li
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  3. Xia Xiang
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  4. Yong-Qing Fu
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  6. Xiao-Tao Zu
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Correspondence to Hua-Feng Pang or Xiao-Tao Zu.

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Pang, HF., Li, ZJ., Xiang, X. et al. Hierarchical structured tungsten oxide nanocrystals via hydrothermal route: microstructure, formation mechanism and humidity sensing. Appl. Phys. A 112, 1033–1042 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-012-7475-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-012-7475-4

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