Hierarchically Structured Snowflakelike WO3·0.33H2O Particles Prepared by a Facile, Green, and Microwave-assisted Method

Abstract In this letter, we report a novel hierarchically structured WO3·0.33H2O “snowflakes” that were successfully synthesized by a template-free and microwave-assisted hydrothermal method for the first time. Combining the characterization results and its crystal structure together reveals the WO3·0.33H2O particles have an oriented growth along six equivalent < 100 > directions in (001) plane to form the novel snowflakelike microstructure, which is significantly different from the sample prepared at conventional hydrothermal conditions. Moreover, microwave heating is considered to accelerate the oriented crystal growth along < 100 > directions.