Facile fabrication of pomponlike microarchitectures of lanthanum molybdate via an ultrasound route

Pomponlike La2(MoO4)3 microstructures assembled with single-crystalline nanoflakes have been facilely fabricated via a surfactant-assisted ultrasound route for the first time. Various synthesis conditions were examined, such as the surfactant concentration, the molecular structure of surfactants, and the pH value. The obtained pomponlike microstructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), (field-emission) scanning electron microscopy [(FE)SEM], transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms. It has been revealed that a minimum concentration of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) was required for the formation of pomponlike La2(MoO4)3 microstructures. When the SDS concentration is above 0.02 mol L−1, the pomponlike microstructures become more perfect, and the size is also increased with the increasing SDS concentration. Under the same sonication, similar pomponlike microstructures were obtained when a cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), was used instead of the anionic surfactant SDS, indicating that the hydrophobic alkyl chains are an important factor for the formation of the pomponlike La2(MoO4)3 microstructures. It is also found that the pomponlike La2(MoO4)3 microstructures can only be obtained within an optimal pH range of 8.0–9.0 under sonication. Based on TEM, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and solubilization experiment, a formation mechanism of pomponlike La2(MoO4)3 microstructures was proposed, in which the collaborative action of surfactants and sonication plays a key role. Furthermore, the porosity of the pomponlike La2(MoO4)3 microstructures were discussed.