Controllable synthesis of monodisperse Mn3O4 and Mn2O3 nanostructures via a solvothermal route

A facile one-step solvothermal route was developed to synthesize monodisperse Mn3O4 and Mn2O3 nanostructures with the introduction of poly(vinyl-pyrrolidone)/stearic acid (PVP/SA) mixture. H2O2 played a key role in the determination of the products Mn3O4 and Mn2O3. The synthesis parameters for nanostructured MnOx such as surfactant and reaction time were investigated, along with their influences on morphology and composition. The morphology evolution of the Mn3O4 and Mn2O3 reveals that the nanostructures formed via two distinct mechanisms of nucleation and growth of nanocrystals.