Synthesis of MnO2 Nanostructures with Sea Urchin Shapes by a Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-Assisted Hydrothermal Process

MnO 2 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 MnO 2 nanostructures were tetragonal phase. Furthermore, SEM and TEM revealed that MnO 2 nanostructures with sea urchin shapes consisted of MnO 2 nanorods 150−200 nm wide and several micrometers long. A growth mechanism of MnO 2 nanostructures with sea urchin shapes was suggested and explained in detail.