Selectively Nanocube Formation of Tungsten Oxide (WO3)

Abstract

Metal oxide nanoparticles with tunable size and shape are of significant interest since these features allowtailoring their performance, functionality, and efficiency. Doping of metal oxide nanoparticles with metalcations proved to be an effective strategy for tailoring their electrical, optical, and microstructuralproperties. In this study, tungsten oxide (WO3) nanoparticles doped with selenium (Se) and lanthanum(La) catalysts were produced with a preferential nanocube morphology by arc discharge method. Se andLa catalysts were introduced into the tungsten (W) electrode acting as an anode, and the arc-discharge wasgenerated between two W electrodes in a deionized water medium. Structural and morphological featuresof the as-synthesized nanostructures were investigated by performing scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. Morphological analyses revealed that theresultant nanoparticles exhibited nanocube morphology with size ranges of 10 to 50 nm. X-ray diffraction(XRD) results proved the existence of highly crystalline monoclinic WO3 as an abundant structure. Weconfidently believe that the arc-discharge method can be utilized to produce various types ofnanostructures with tunable size and shape by tailoring process parameters, including the type of dopant.