Static and Dynamical Structural Investigations of Metal-Oxide Nanocrystals by Powder X-ray Diffraction: Colloidal Tungsten Oxide as a Case Study.

We have developed a general X-ray powder diffraction (XPD) methodology for the simultaneous structural and compositional characterization of inorganic nanomaterials. The approach is validated on colloidal tungsten oxide nanocrystals (WO3-x NCs), as a model polymorphic nanoscale material system. Rod-shaped WO3-x NCs with different crystal structure and stoichiometry are comparatively investigated under an inert atmosphere and after prolonged air exposure.