Synthesis and luminescence properties of three dimensional architectures of nanostructural WO3

We report on a successful fabrication of three-dimensional architectures of nanostructural WO3 assembled by building blocks comprising nanoparticles, nanorods, and nanoplates by hydrothermal method. We find that the additives of oxalic acid and urea and their relative molar ratio are critical to forming 3D WO3 architectures and that the sample prepared with the H2C2O4/H2NCONH2 molar ratio of 0.02/0.005 show a much more regular shape with sphere-like feature than that prepared with the molar ratio of 0.01/0.05, which consequently gives rise to more intense UV emission around 305 nm. Such effective control of 3D WO3 architectures by manipulating the types of additives and their relative molar ratio is applicable to the fabrication of other unique 3D nanostructures with preferable luminescence properties.