Hydrothermal route to single crystalline α-MoO3 nanobelts and hierarchical structures

Single crystalline nanobelts or nanoribbons and spherical or flower like hierarchical structures of α-MoO3 were obtained through homogeneous precipitation and subsequent hydrothermal treatment. It has been found that temperature, concentration of cationic surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and the addition order of reactants are the three critical factors for the assembly of nanobelts in the current process.