Effect of the Ammonium Tungsten Precursor Solution with the Modification of Glycerol on Wide Band Gap WO3 Thin Film and Its Electrochromic Properties

Tungsten trioxide (WO3) is a wide band gap semiconductor material, which is commonly not only used, but also investigated as a significant electrochromic layer in electrochromic devices. WO3 films have been prepared by inorganic and sol-gel free ammonium tungstate ((NH4)2WO4), with the modification of glycerol using the spin coating technique. The surface tension, the contact angle and the dynamic viscosity of the precursor solutions demonstrated that the sample solution with a 25% volume fraction of glycerol was optimal, which was equipped to facilitate the growth of WO3 films. The thermal gravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) analysis represented that the optimal sample solution transformed into the WO3 range from 220 °C to 300 °C, and the transformation of the phase structure of WO3 was taken above 300 °C. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectra analysis indicated that the composition within the film was WO3 above the 300 °C annealing temperature, and the component content of WO3 was increased with the increase in the annealing temperature. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern revealed that WO3 films were available for the formation of the cubic and monoclinic crystal structure at 400 °C, and were preferential for growing monoclinic WO3 when annealed at 500 °C. Atomic force microscope (AFM) images showed that WO3 films prepared using ammonium tungstate with modification of the glycerol possessed less rough surface roughness in comparison with the sol-gel-prepared films. An ultraviolet spectrophotometer (UV) demonstrated that the sample solution which had been annealed at 400 °C obtained a high electrochromic modulation ability roughly 40% at 700 nm wavelength, as well as the optical band gap (Eg) of the WO3 films ranged from 3.48 eV to 3.37 eV with the annealing temperature increasing.

Influences of Temperature on the Conversion of Ammonium Tungstate Pentahydrate to Tungsten Oxide Particles with Controllable Sizes, Crystallinities, and Physical Properties

The purpose of this study was to investigate influences of temperature on the conversion of ammonium tungstate pentahydrate (ATP) powder to tungsten trioxide (WO3) particles with controllable sizes, crystallinities, and physicochemical properties. In this study, we used a simple thermal decomposition method. In the experimental procedure, we explored the effect of temperature on the physicochemical properties of ATP by testing various heating temperatures (from 100 to 900 °C). The heated ATP samples were then characterized by a physical observation (i.e. color) and various analysis methods (i.e. a thermal gravimetric and differential thermal analysis, infrared spectroscopy, an X-ray diffraction, and a scanning electron microscope). Experimental results showed that increases in temperature had an impact to the decreases in particle size, the change in material crystallinity, and the change in physical properties (e.g. change of color from white, orange, to yellowish green). The relationships between the reaction temperatures and the physicochemical properties of the ATP were also investigated in detail along with the theoretical consideration and the proposal of the WO3 particle formation mechanism. In simplification, the phenomena can be described into three zones of temperatures. (1) Below 250 °C (release of water molecules and some ammonium ions).; (2) At 250-400 °C (release of water molecules and ammonium ions, restructurization of tungsten and oxygen elements, and formation of amorphous tungsten trioxide). (3) At higher than 400 °C (crystallization of tungsten trioxide). Since ATP possessed reactivity on temperature, its physicochemical properties changing could be observed easily, and the experimental procedure could be done easily. The present study will benefit not only for “chemistry and material science” but also potentially to be used as a model material for explaining the thermal behavior of material to undergraduate students (suitable used for a class and laboratory experiment and demonstration).

Ammonium Tungstate as an Effective Catalyst for Selective Oxidation of Alcohols to Aldehydes or Ketones with Hydrogen Peroxide under Water – A Synergy of Graphene Oxide

Ammonium tungstate was found to be a facile and efficient catalyst for selective oxidation of alcohols to the corresponding carbonyl compounds with hydrogen peroxide as oxidant. Heterogeneous graphene oxide as acid effectively intensified the transformations and resulted in excellent yields. The use of water as solvent rendered the reactions promising both economically and environmentally.