Synthesis of MnO2 nanostructures with sea urchin shapes by a sodium dodecyl sulfate-assisted hydrothermal process

MnO2 nanostructures with sea urchin shapes have been prepared by an sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-assisted hydrothermal treatment method. The products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). XRD patterns indicated that the sea urchin shaped MnO2 nanostructures were tetragonal phase. Furthermore, SEM and TEM revealed that MnO2 nanostructures with sea urchin shapes consisted of MnO2 nanorods 150-200 nm wide and several micrometers long. A growth mechanism of MnO2 nanostructures with sea urchin shapes was suggested and explained in detail.