One-step hydrothermal conversion of VO2(B) into W-doped VO2(M) and its phase transition and optical switching properties

•W-doped VO2(M) nanobelts have been synthesized by hydrothermal treating VO2(B).•The conversion of VO2(B) nanobelts is in the presence of tungstic acid.•The route is facile, environmental friendly, and easy to scale up.•The phase transition temperature of W-doped VO2(M) can be tuned by W doping.•W-doped VO2(M) has thermochromic characters and optical switching properties.

W-doped monoclinic vanadium dioxide VO2(M) nanobelts have been transformed from VO2(B) nanobelts in the presence of tungstic acid by a facile one-step hydrothermal route for the first time. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and variable-temperature infrared spectroscopy (IR). The results show that W atoms are doped into the crystal lattice of VO2(M) matrix, and the morphology and size of the as-obtained VO2(M) nanobelts are dependent on that of the precursor VO2(B). The phase transition temperature (Tc) of W-doped VO2(M) can be tuned by W doping. The variable-temperature IR reveals that the as-synthesized W-doped VO2(M) nanobelts have outstanding thermochromic characters and optical switching properties.

Graphical abstractW-doped VO2(M) nanobelts have been synthesized by hydrothermal treating VO2(B) nanobelts in the presence of tungstic acid.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (161 K)Download as PowerPoint slide