Open AccessTargeted Synthesis and Environmental Applications of Oxide Nanomaterials
Author(s) -
Ying Zhou,
Greta R. Patzke
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
chimia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2673-2424
pISSN - 0009-4293
DOI - 10.2533/chimia.2010.252
Subject(s) - nanotechnology , nanomaterials , characterization (materials science) , hydrothermal circulation , materials science , oxide , photocatalysis , tungstate , bismuth , nanoscopic scale , chemistry , catalysis , chemical engineering , engineering , biochemistry , metallurgy
Oxide nanomaterials are indispensable building blocks for a future nanotechnology, because they offer an infinite variety of structural motifs that lead to their widespread technical application. Therefore, flexible and tunable preparative strategies are required to convert this large family of materials onto the nanoscale. Although hydrothermal syntheses have proven especially suitable for this purpose, their reaction pathways and mechanisms often remain unknown so that they can be difficult to control. In the following, we summarize our comprehensive approach towards nanostructured functional oxides that is based on synthetic parameter optimizations, mechanistic in situ investigations and the characterization of environmentally relevant properties, e.g. in photocatalysis or sensor technology. The connection between preparative morphology control and the resulting materials properties is demonstrated for selected tungstate systems and bismuth-containing oxides. Furthermore, different methods for the in situ monitoring of hydrothermal processes are discussed.