Controlled synthesis of different morphologies of BaWO4 crystals via a surfactant-assisted method

BaWO₄ crystals with different morphologies, such as nanosheets, nanobelts, flower-like, quadrangled plates and sheaves of dendrite, have been successfully synthesized via PVP as templates. Our result shows that reaction parameters, such as the concentration of PVP aqueous solutions, pH value of the starting solution and molar ratio of [Ba²⁺]/[WO₄²⁻] played important roles in the formation of BaWO₄ crystal with different morphologies. It is obviously different between microwave irradiation heating and oil bath heating. The products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction.