New templated method to synthesize electrochromic mesoporous tungsten oxides

Mesoporous tungsten oxides were synthesized with a new nonionic gemini surfactant template, which was then removed by calcination. The effect of calcination on the as-synthesized product was studied with TG–DSC and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The results of X-ray diffractions, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and nitrogen sorption analyses show that the mesoporous tungsten oxide calcined at 300 °C preserved accessible vermicular mesoporosity with specific surface area of 145.5 m2/g. Enhanced electrochromic response was found for the mesostructured sample from the simultaneous voltammetric and spectrophotometric studies.