Simple route to (NH4)xWO3 nanorods for near infrared absorption

Described here is how to synthesize one-dimensional ammonium tungsten bronze ((NH4)(x)WO3) by a facile solvothermal approach in which ethylene glycol and acetic acid were employed as solvents and ammonium paratungstate was used as a starting material, as well as how to develop the near infrared absorption properties of (NH4)(x)WO3 nanorods for application as a solar light control filter. The as-obtained product was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetry (TG), atomic force microscope (AFM) and UV-Vis-NIR spectra. The SEM and TEM images clearly revealed that the obtained sample possessed rod/fiber-like morphologies with diameters around 120 nm. As determined by UV-Vis-NIR optical measurement, the thin film consisted of (NH4)(x)WO3 nanoparticles, which can selectively transmit most visible lights, but strongly absorb the near-infrared (NIR) lights and ultraviolet rays. These interesting optical properties make the (NH4)(x)WO3 nanorods suitable for the solar control windows.