Growth, Structure, and Stability of KxWO3 Nanorods on Mica Substrate

International audience; KxWO3 nanorods, interesting as gas sensors, were elaborated on mica muscovite substrate and characterized by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and mainly transmission electron microscopy. A combination of structural analyses allowed determining the morphology of these rods, and selected area electron diffraction experiments pointed out the simultaneous presence of the exotic hexagonal and stable monoclinic phases. Moreover, the presence of potassium inside the nanorods, coming from the mica substrate, was revealed. By combining all the observations, a growth model is proposed, consisting of the stacking of two di…