Influence of synthesis conditions on the crystal and local structures of WO3 powders

Abstract

Influence of synthesis conditions on the crystal and local structures of WO3 powders prepared by thermal decomposition of ammonium paratungstate and precipitation of tungstates aqueous solutions in strong acid conditions has been investigated. Combination of X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, IR- and Raman-spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy was used. The calcination of all initial compounds at temperatures ≥ 500C led to formation of the monoclinic γ-WO3 single phase. It was concluded that the neutral octahedral complex [W=0(0H)4(H20)] can be a structural unit of the precursors prepared in acidic suspensions. The local structure of synthesized tungsten oxides consists of edge-shared and corner-shared distorted octahedral WO6 species linked together.