Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications of 1D Nanostructured Metal Oxides Prepared by Hydrothermal Method

Sorapong Pavasupree
Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan.

Supachai Ngamsinlapasathian
Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan.

Yoshikazu Suzuki
Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan.

Susumu Yoshikawa
Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan.

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     Last modified: January 15, 2006

Abstract
Metal oxides have been widely used for various applications like semiconductor materials in dye-sensitized solar cell, catalysts, fuel cells, resistors, gas sensors, transparent optical device, optical coatings, and lithium batteries. The synthesis and characterization of one-dimensional (1D) nanostructured materials (nanotubes, nanorods, and nanowires) have received considerable attention due to their unique properties and novel application.
The principal aim of this study is to prepare the 1D nanostructured metal oxides by hydrothermal method with high crystallinity and high surface area. The results mainly focus on the determination of the shapes, crystalline structure, shape transformation, and phase transformation.
Vanadium oxides nanorods with high crystallinity and high surface area were synthesized by hydrothermal method using laurylamine hydrochloride, metal alkoxide and acetylacetone. The samples characterized by XRD, nitrogen adsorption isotherm, SEM, TEM, and SAED. Uniformly sized VO2 nanorods had widths about 40-80 nm and lengths reaching up to 1 m. V2O5 rodlike structured with the widths about 100-500 nm and the length of 1-10 m were obtained by calcination at 400 oC for 4 h. Tungsten oxides, magnesium oxides, and lanthanide (La, Pr, Nd, and Sm) oxides nanowires were also synthesized using the same route of vanadium oxides nanorods by changing alkoxide precursors. This synthesis method provides a simple route to fabricate 1-D nanostructured metal oxides under mild conditions.