title: Spontaneous formation of micrometer-size inorganic peapods.
abstract: We show that polyoxometalate (ammonium phosphomolybdate) Keggin in aqueous dispersions upon sonication spontaneously transforms into micrometer-sized, peapod-shaped structures. The formation of these peapods is preceded by the generation of spherical aggregates. The particles have been characterized experimentally by time-resolved dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning TEM with a high-angle annular dark field detector (STEM-HAADF) for energy-dispersive X-ray (STEM/EDX) elemental analyses. A pathway for the phenomenon is proposed.
authors.affiliation: Van't Hoff Laboratory for Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Debye Institute, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands. s.roy@chem.uu.nl
authors.forename: Soumyajit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Maria T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Rijneveld-Ockers
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Groenewold
authors.forename: Bonny W M
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Kuipers
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meeldijk
authors.forename: Willem K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Kegel