Effects of polyvinylpyrrolidone and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide on morphology of lead tungstate particles

Hierarchical pagodas and monodispersed quasi-octahedrons of lead tungstate (PbWO4) have been controllably synthesized through an easy mineralization process of preformed PbWO4 suspension under natural conditions. The selective synthesis of PbWO4 pagodas and quasi-octahedrons is achieved in the absence or presence of mixed organic additive polyvinylpyrrolidone and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy have been used to characterize the obtained PbWO4 products. It is demonstrated that the cooperative effect of polyvinylpyrrolidone and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide is responsible for the morphological transformation of PbWO4 crystals from pagodas to quasi-octahedrons.