Controlled construction of uniform pompon-shaped microarchitectures self-assembled from single-crystalline lanthanum molybdate nanoflakes

Uniform three-dimensional La-2(MoO4)(3) nanostructures with a pompon shape have been successfully constructed by a simple surfactant-free hydrothermal approach via self-assembly from single-crystalline nanoflakes. The formation of the uniform pompon-shaped La-2(MoO4)(3) microarchitectures is closely related to the presence of a proper amount of ammonium ions, and it is proposed that the pompon-shaped microarchitecture forms through an electrostatic attraction/repulsion effect between the oppositely charged flat surface and the edge of nanoflakes. Without the introduction of ammonium ions, no pompon-shaped microarchitectures can be formed, and while under the presence of excess ammonium ions, the nanoflakes on the micropompons become amorphous, twisted, and rugged. The novel microarchitectures of the product can be successfully modified from spherical to columelliform by using a mixed solvent of water/ethanol. This simple and efficient method may provide a practical reference to the controlled synthesis of other microarchitectures.