CONTROLLED FABRICATION OF Nb2O5 HOLLOW NANOSPHERES AND NANOTUBES

Abstract

A simple procedure for one-step growing Nb 2 O 5 hollow nanospheres and nanotubes was proposed. The final products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The as-obtained hollow spheres present a polycrystal surface while the nanotubes possess single crystal walls. Moreover, the factors that could impact the product morphology and crystal structure were discussed, and the corresponding mechanism was proposed accordingly. The crystal structure and morphology of products can be easily tuned by adjusting the molar ratio of Nb / Ti used, which determines the amount of F - ions existing in the reaction system. The as-obtained Nb 2 O 5 hollow nanospheres and nanotubes may exhibit enhanced applications in a wide range of areas. Additionally, it is rational to expect that this simple method can be extended to systems of other inorganic materials with desired morphologies.