Size- and shape-controlled conversion of tungstate-based inorganic-organic hybrid belts to WO3 nanoplates with high specific surface areas.

Two-dimensional monoclinic WO(3) nanoplates with high specific surface areas are synthesized through a novel conversion process using tungstate-based inorganic-organic hybrid micro/nanobelts as precursors. The process developed involves a topochemical transformation of tungstate-based inorganic-organic hybrid belts into WO(3) nanoplates via an intermediate product of H(2)WO(4) nanoplates, utilizing the similarity of the W-O octahedral layers in both H(2)WO(4) and WO(3). The as-obtained WO(3) nanoplates show a single-crystalline nanostructure with the smallest side along the [001] direction. The WO(3) nanoplates are 200-500 nm x 200-500 nm x 10-30 nm in size, and their specific surface areas are up to 180 m(2) g(-1). Photocatalytic measurements of visible-light-driven oxidation of water for O(2) generation in the presence of Ag(+) ions indicate that the activity of the as-obtained WO(3) nanoplates is one order of magnitude higher than that of commercially available WO(3) powders.