Selected-control synthesis of PbO2 submicrometer-sized hollow spheres and Pb3O4 microtubes

Submicrometer-sized PbO2 hollow spheres and Pb3O4 microtubes were prepared by a selected-control synthesis method for the first time. The diameter of the PbO2 hollow spheres is about 200–400 nm and the wall thickness is about 30–50 nm. The Pb3O4 microtubes with tetragonal cross-section are 15–20 μm in length, 3–4 μm in width, and 0.4–0.6 μm in wall thickness. The experimental results indicated that poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) plays a unique role in controlling the morphologies of lead oxides.