Microwave hydrothermal synthesis and photocatalytic properties of ZnWO 4 nanorods

Cd 2+ ‐doped ZnWO 4 nanorods have been synthesized at 200 °C with microwave hydrothermal method, using Zn(NO 3 ) 2 ·6H 2 O, Na 2 WO 4 ·2H 2 O and CdCl 2 as raw materials. The effects of Cd 2+ doping contents on the structure and morphology of the product were studied. The results show that Cd 2+ doping into the crystal lattice of ZnWO 4 nanopowder makes the powder orientationally grow along (010), (110) and (200) crystal planes to form the nanorods. The bigger Cd 2+ doping contents are, the more obviously ZnWO 4 nanorods grow. Meanwhile, the nanopowder is gradually transformed from monoclinic phase into the orthogonal phase. As the charge transference medium between the interfaces, Cd 2+ restrains the combination of holes and electrons. After doped, the photocatalytic properties of ZnWO 4 nanorods are increased. When Cd 2+ doping content is 20%, the Cd 2+ ‐doped ZnWO 4 nanorods showed the highest degradation rate up to 98% in 2 h.