Facile electrochemical synthesis of PbWO4 dendrites

PbWO4 dendrites have been successfully synthesized by a simple sonochemical method without any surfactants at room temperature. The as-prepared powders were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron diffraction (ED), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The effect of pH value, molar ratio of [WO42-]/ [Pb2+], reaction time, and the initial concentration of the starting solution on the formation of PbWO4 dendrites was investigated. Experimental results indicate that the molar ratio of [WO42-]/[Pb2+] played a crucial role in the formation of PbWO4 dendrites. A growth mechanism of PbWO4 dendrites was also discussed. The present process is proved to be environment-friendly, and can be extended to the controllable synthesis of other tungstates. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.