Template-induced morphological preservation and self-assembly of nonporous MgO nanostructures during the decomposition of nanoscale Mg(OH)2 precursors

We report a template-induced and self-assembled synthesis method of magnesium oxide (MgO) nanocrystallites by the use of surfactants as organic templates and the step-by-step calcination processes to control the nucleation and growth of MgO crystal and thus self-assemble the nanocrystallites during the thermal decomposition of nanoscaled Mg(OH)2 precursor. These MgO nanocrystallites not only exactly preserve the morphologies of Mg(OH)2 precursor in the crystalline shape and sizes, but also are of highly compact crystal structures with no pores.