Selected-control synthesis of PbO2 and Pb3O4 single-crystalline nanorods.

Reaction of Pb(OH)3- with ClO- in the presence of surfactant CTAB under conventional conditions resulted in PbO2 nanorods, whereas the reaction under hydrothermal conditions afforded Pb3O4 nanorods, as confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Selected area electron diffraction (SEAD) and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) revealed that both PbO2 and Pb3O4 nanorods are single crystalline. For the formation of Pb3O4 nanorods, it is reasonable that PbO2 slowly decomposes to Pb3O4 under hydrothermal conditions, while retaining the morphology of PbO2.