Aqueous mineralization process to synthesize uniform shuttle-like BaMoO4 microcrystals at room temperature

Single-crystalline BaMoO4 microcrystals with uniform shuttle-like morphology have been successfully prepared via a facile aqueous solution mineralization process at room temperature. It was found that the pH value and the reaction temperature had important influences on the formation of the BaMoO4 microcrystals. The shuttle-like microcrystals can be obtained in alkaline aqueous solution (pH = 9-14), and when the pH value was adjusted to 6-7, cocoon-like microcrystals appeared. A possible two-stage growth process has been proposed, and the Ostwald ripening was responsible for the formation of the shuttle-like BaMoO4 microcrystals. The products were characterized by XRD, XPS, FESEM, HRTEM and Raman spectroscopy. Room-temperature photoluminescence indicated that the as-prepared BaMoO4 microcrystals had a strong blue emission peak centered at 438 nm. (C) 2007 Published by Elsevier Inc.