Synthesis of CaWO4 nanoparticles by a molten salt method

CaWO4 nanoparticles were synthesized by a molten salt method at a low temperature as 200 degrees C. The as-prepared powders were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and exhibited a pure tetragonal phase CaWO4 with a scheelite structure about 20 nm in size with uniform and nearly spherical or elongated grain shape. The molten salt medium could speed up the diffusing rates of the reaction ions, and thus decrease greatly the synthetic temperature of CaWO4 nanoparticles. It is rational to expect that some other nanoscale materials, which easily vaporize at high temperature, may be synthesized by this method. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.