Low-temperature molten salt synthesis and characterization of CoWO4 nano-particles

CoWO4 nano-particles were successfully synthesized at a low temperature of 270 °C by a molten salt method, and effects of such processing parameters as holding time and salt quantity on the crystallization and development of CoWO4 crystallites were initially studied. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and photoluminescent spectra techniques (PL), respectively. Experimental results showed that the well-crystallized CoWO4 nano-particles with ca. 45 nm in diameter could be obtained at 270 °C for a holding time of 8 h with 6:1 mass ratio of the salt to CoWO4 precursor, and XRD analysis evidenced that the as-prepared sample was a pure monoclinic phase of CoWO4 with wolframite structure. Their PL spectra revealed that the CoWO4 nano-particles displayed a very strong PL peak at 453 nm with the excitation wavelength of 230 nm, and PL properties of CoWO4 crystallites relied on their crystalline state, especially on their particle size.