@article{pauly_white_deegbey_fosu_keller_mcguigan_dianat_gabilondo_wong_murphey_et al._2024, title={Coordination of copper within a crystalline carbon nitride and its catalytic reduction of CO2}, volume={3}, ISSN={["1477-9234"]}, DOI={10.1039/d4dt00359d}, abstractNote={Inherently disordered structures of carbon nitrides have hindered an atomic level tunability and understanding of their catalytic reactivity. Starting from a crystalline carbon nitride, poly(triazine imide) or PTI/LiCl, the coordination of copper cations to its intralayer N-triazine groups was investigated using molten salt reactions. The reaction of PTI/LiCl within CuCl or eutectic KCl/CuCl2 molten salt mixtures at 280 to 450 °C could be used to yield three partially disordered and ordered structures, wherein the Cu cations are found to coordinate within the intralayer cavities. Local structural differences and the copper content, i.e., whether full or partial occupancy of the intralayer cavity occurs, were found to be dependent on the reaction temperature and Cu-containing salt. Crystallites of Cu-coordinated PTI were also found to electrophoretically deposit from aqueous particle suspensions onto either graphite or FTO electrodes. As a result, electrocatalytic current densities for the reduction of CO2 and H2O reached as high as ∼10 to 50 mA cm-2, and remained stable for >2 days. Selectivity for the reduction of CO2 to CO vs. H2 increases for thinner crystals as well as for when two Cu cations coordinate within the intralayer cavities of PTI. Mechanistic calculations have also revealed the electrocatalytic activity for CO2 reduction requires a smaller thermodynamic driving force with two neighboring Cu atoms per cavity as compared to a single Cu atom. These results thus establish a useful synthetic pathway to metal-coordination in a crystalline carbon nitride and show great potential for mediating stable CO2 reduction at sizable current densities.}, journal={DALTON TRANSACTIONS}, author={Pauly, Magnus and White, Ethan and Deegbey, Mawuli and Fosu, Emmanuel Adu and Keller, Landon and Mcguigan, Scott and Dianat, Golnaz and Gabilondo, Eric and Wong, Jian Cheng and Murphey, Corban G. E. and et al.}, year={2024}, month={Mar} } @article{jana_gabilondo_mcguigan_maggard_2024, title={Syntheses, Crystal Structures, and Electronic Structures of Quaternary Group IV-Selenide Semiconductors}, volume={3}, ISSN={["1520-510X"]}, DOI={10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c00363}, abstractNote={Early transition-metal chalcogenides have garnered recent attention for their optoelectronic properties for solar energy conversion. Herein, the first Zr-/Hf-chalcogenides with a main group cation, Ba9Hf3Sn2Se19 (1) and Ba8Zr2SnSe13(Se2) (2), have been synthesized. The structure of 1 is formed from isolated SnSe44- tetrahedra and distorted HfSe6 octahedra. The latter condense via face-sharing trimeric motifs that are further vertex-bridged into chains of 1∞[Hf(1)2Hf(2)Se11]10-. The structure of 2 is comprised of SnSe44- tetrahedra, Se22- dimers, and face-sharing dimers of distorted ZrSe6 octahedra. These represent the first reported examples of Hf-/Zr-chalcogenides exhibiting face-sharing octahedra with relatively short Hf-Hf and Zr-Zr distances. Their preparation in high purity is inhibited by their low thermodynamic stability, with calculations showing small calculated ΔUdec values of +7 and +9 meV atom-1 for 1 and 2, respectively. Diffuse reflectance measurements confirm the semiconducting nature of 1 with an indirect band gap of ∼1.4(1) eV. Electronic structure calculations show that the band gap absorptions arise from transitions between predominantly Se-4p valence bands and mixed Hf-5d/Sn-5p or Zr-4d/Sn-5p conduction bands. Optical absorption coefficients were calculated to be more than ∼105 cm-1 at greater than 1.8 eV. Thus, promising optical properties are demonstrated for solar energy conversion within these synthetically challenging chemical systems.}, journal={INORGANIC CHEMISTRY}, author={Jana, Subhendu and Gabilondo, Eric and McGuigan, Scott and Maggard, Paul A.}, year={2024}, month={Mar} } @article{jana_gabilondo_maggard_2024, title={Two new multinary chalcogenides with (Se2)2- dimers: Ba8Hf2Se11(Se2) and Ba9Hf3Se14(Se2)}, volume={329}, ISSN={["1095-726X"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.jssc.2023.124376}, abstractNote={Two multinary selenides, Ba8Hf2Se11(Se2) and Ba9Hf3Se14(Se2), with unprecedented structure types have been prepared using high-temperature synthesis techniques and represent the first known compounds in the Ba-Hf-Se system. Their structures were determined from single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. The Ba8Hf2Se11(Se2) compound crystallizes in the monoclinic C2/c space group with a = 12.3962(15) Å, b = 12.8928(15) Å, c = 18.1768(17) Å, and β = 90.685(4)º, while Ba9Hf3Se14(Se2) forms in the rhombohedral R 3¯ space group with a = b = 19.4907(6) Å and c = 23.6407(11) Å. Both have pseudo-zero-dimensional structures with homoatomic Se–Se bonding in the form of (Se2)2− at distances of 2.400–2.402 Å. The structure of Ba8Hf2Se11(Se2) is comprised of [Hf2Se11]14−, Ba2+, and (Se2)2− dimers. Conversely, the Ba9Hf3Se14(Se2) structure contains a novel perovskite-type cluster constructed from eight octahedrally-coordinated Hf cations, i.e., [Hf8Se36]40−, and isolated [HfSe6]8− units which are separated by (Se2)2− dimers and Ba2+ cations. Polycrystalline Ba8Hf2Se11(Se2) is synthesized at 1073 K using a two-step solid-state synthesis method, with the co-formation of a small amount of BaSe secondary phase. A direct bandgap of 2.2(2) eV is obtained for the polycrystalline sample of Ba8Hf2Se11(Se2), which is consistent with its yellow color. Density functional theory calculations reveal their bandgap transitions stem from predominantly filled Se-4p to empty Hf-5d at the edges of the valence bands (VB) and conduction bands (CB), respectively. The optical absorption coefficients are calculated to be large, exceeding ∼105 cm−1 at about >2.0 eV with effective masses in the CB varying from ∼0.5 me (Γ → A) in Ba8Hf2Se11(Se2) to ∼1.0 me (Γ → L) in Ba9Hf3Se14(Se2). Thus, their optoelectronic properties are shown to be competitive with existing perovskite-type chalcogenides that have been a focus of recent research efforts.}, journal={JOURNAL OF SOLID STATE CHEMISTRY}, author={Jana, Subhendu and Gabilondo, Eric A. and Maggard, Paul A.}, year={2024}, month={Jan} } @article{o'donnell_gabilondo_jana_koldemir_block_whangbo_kremer_pottgen_maggard_2023, title={Cation exchange route to a Eu(II)-containing tantalum oxide}, volume={328}, ISSN={["1095-726X"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.jssc.2023.124338}, abstractNote={Traditional synthetic efforts to prepare Eu(II)-containing oxides have principally involved the use of high temperature reactions starting from EuO or a controlled, highly-reducing, atmosphere. Conversely, chimie douce approaches that are more amenable to the targeted syntheses of new, and potentially metastable, Eu(II)-oxides have yet to be explored. Herein, a cation-exchange route to new Eu(II)-containing oxides, e.g., EuTa4-xO11 (x = 0.04), has been discovered and its structure determined by powder X-ray diffraction (Space group P6322 (#182), a = 6.2539(2) Å; c = 12.3417(2) Å). The compound derives from the cation exchange of Na2Ta4O11, via a reaction with EuBr2 at 1173 K, and replacement by half the number of divalent Eu cations. Rietveld refinements show preferential ordering of the Eu cations over one of the two possible cation sites, i.e., Wyckoff site 2d (∼94%; Eu1) versus 2b (∼6%; Eu2). Total energy calculations confirm an energetic preference of the Eu cation in the 2d site. Tantalum vacancies of ∼1% occur within the layer of Eu cations and TaO6 octahedra, and ∼20% partial oxidation of Eu(II) to Eu(III) cations from charge balance considerations. 151Eu Mössbauer spectroscopy measured at 78 K found a Eu(II):Eu(III) ratio of 69:31, with a relatively broad line width of the former signal of Γ = 7.6(2) mm s–1. Also, the temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility could be fitted to a Curie Weiss expression, giving a μeff = 6.2 μB and θCW = −10 K and confirming a mixture of Eu(II)/Eu(III) cations. The optical bandgap of EuTa4-xO11 was found to be ∼1.5 eV (indirect), significantly redshifted as compared to ∼4.1 eV for Na2Ta4O11. Spin-polarized electronic structure calculations show that this redshift stems from the addition of Eu 4f7 states as a higher-energy valence band. Thus, these results demonstrate a new cation-exchange approach that represents a useful synthetic pathway to new Eu(II)-containing oxides for tunable magnetic and optical properties.}, journal={JOURNAL OF SOLID STATE CHEMISTRY}, author={O'Donnell, Shaun and Gabilondo, Eric and Jana, Subhendu and Koldemir, Aylin and Block, Theresa and Whangbo, Myung-Hwan and Kremer, Reinhard and Pottgen, Rainer and Maggard, Paul A.}, year={2023}, month={Dec} } @article{gabilondo_newell_broughton_koldemir_poettgen_jones_maggard_2023, title={Switching Lead for Tin in PbHfO3: Noncubic Structure of SnHfO3}, volume={9}, ISSN={["1521-3773"]}, DOI={10.1002/anie.202312130}, abstractNote={The removal of lead from commercialized perovskite-oxide-based piezoceramics has been a recent major topic in materials research owing to legislation in many countries. In this regard, Sn(II)-perovskite oxides have garnered keen interest due to their predicted large spontaneous electric polarizations and isoelectronic nature for substitution of Pb(II) cations. However, they have not been considered synthesizable owing to their high metastability. Herein, the perovskite lead hafnate, i.e., PbHfO3 in space group Pbam, is shown to react with SnClF at a low temperature of 300 °C, and resulting in the first complete Sn(II)-for-Pb(II) substitution, i.e. SnHfO3. During this topotactic transformation, a high purity and crystallinity is conserved with Pbam symmetry, as confirmed by X-ray and electron diffraction, elemental analysis, and 119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy. In situ diffraction shows SnHfO3 also possesses reversible phase transformations and is potentially polar between ~130-200 °C. This so-called 'de-leadification' is thus shown to represent a highly useful strategy to fully remove lead from perovskite-oxide-based piezoceramics and opening the door to new explorations of polar and antipolar Sn(II)-oxide materials.}, journal={ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION}, author={Gabilondo, Eric A. and Newell, Ryan J. and Broughton, Rachel and Koldemir, Aylin and Poettgen, Rainer and Jones, Jacob L. and Maggard, Paul A.}, year={2023}, month={Sep} } @article{gabilondo_newell_chestnut_weng_jones_maggard_2022, title={Circumventing thermodynamics to synthesize highly metastable perovskites: nano eggshells of SnHfO3}, volume={11}, ISSN={["2516-0230"]}, DOI={10.1039/d2na00603k}, abstractNote={Sn(ii)-based perovskite oxides, being the subject of longstanding theoretical interest for the past two decades, have been synthesized for the first time in the form of nano eggshell particle morphologies. All past reported synthetic attempts have been unsuccessful owing to their metastable nature, i.e., by their thermodynamic instability towards decomposition to their constituent oxides. A new approach was discovered that finally provides an effective solution to surmounting this intractable synthetic barrier and which can be the key to unlocking the door to many other predicted metastable oxides. A low-melting KSn2Cl5 salt was utilized to achieve a soft topotactic exchange of Sn(ii) cations into a Ba-containing perovskite, i.e., BaHfO3 with particle sizes of ∼350 nm, at a low reaction temperature of 200 °C. The resulting particles exhibit nanoshell-over-nanoshell morphologies, i.e., with SnHfO3 forming as ∼20 nm thick shells over the surfaces of the BaHfO3 eggshell particles. Formation of the metastable SnHfO3 is found to be thermodynamically driven by the co-production of the highly stable BaCl2 and KCl side products. Despite this, total energy calculations show that Sn(ii) distorts from the A-site asymmetrically and randomly and the interdiffusion has a negligible impact on the energy of the system (i.e., layered vs. solid solution). Additionally, nano eggshell particle morphologies of BaHfO3 were found to yield highly pure SnHfO3 for the first time, thus circumventing the intrinsic ion-diffusion limits occurring at this low reaction temperature. In summary, these results demonstrate that the metastability of many theoretically predicted Sn(ii)-perovskites can be overcome by leveraging the high cohesive energies of the reactants, the exothermic formation of a stable salt side product, and a shortened diffusion pathway for the Sn(ii) cations.}, journal={NANOSCALE ADVANCES}, author={Gabilondo, Eric A. and Newell, Ryan J. and Chestnut, Jessica and Weng, James and Jones, Jacob L. and Maggard, Paul A.}, year={2022}, month={Nov} } @article{gabilondo_o'donnell_newell_broughton_mateus_jones_maggard_2022, title={Renaissance of Topotactic Ion-Exchange for Functional Solids with Close Packed Structures}, volume={4}, ISSN={["1521-3765"]}, DOI={10.1002/chem.202200479}, abstractNote={Abstract Recently, many new, complex, functional oxides have been discovered with the surprising use of topotactic ion‐exchange reactions on close‐packed structures, such as found for wurtzite, rutile, perovskite, and other structure types. Despite a lack of apparent cation‐diffusion pathways in these structure types, synthetic low‐temperature transformations are possible with the interdiffusion and exchange of functional cations possessing ns 2 stereoactive lone pairs (e. g., Sn(II)) or unpaired nd x electrons (e. g., Co(II)), targeting new and favorable modulations of their electronic, magnetic, or catalytic properties. This enables a synergistic blending of new functionality to an underlying three‐dimensional connectivity, i. e., [‐M−O‐M‐O‐] n , that is maintained during the transformation. In many cases, this tactic represents the only known pathway to prepare thermodynamically unstable solids that otherwise would commonly decompose by phase segregation, such as that recently applied to the discovery of many new small bandgap semiconductors.}, journal={CHEMISTRY-A EUROPEAN JOURNAL}, author={Gabilondo, Eric and O'Donnell, Shaun and Newell, Ryan and Broughton, Rachel and Mateus, Marcelo and Jones, Jacob L. and Maggard, Paul A.}, year={2022}, month={Apr} } @article{gabilondo_o'donnell_broughton_jones_maggard_2021, title={Synthesis and stability of Sn(II)-containing perovskites: (Ba,Sn-II)(HfO3)-O-IV versus (Ba,Sn-II)(SnO3)-O-IV}, volume={302}, ISSN={["1095-726X"]}, DOI={10.1016/j.jssc.2021.122419}, abstractNote={While Sn(II)-containing perovskite oxides have long drawn attention as Pb(II) substitutes in technologically-relevant dielectric materials, they are also highly thermodynamically unstable and potentially impossible to prepare. Investigations into the new flux-mediated syntheses of metastable Sn(II)-containing hafnate and stannate perovskites were aimed at understanding the key factors related to their synthesizability. The BaHfO3 perovskite was reacted with SnClF from 250 to 350 ​°C for 12–72 ​h, yielding an unprecedented Sn(II) concentration on the A-site of up to ~70 ​mol%, i.e., (Ba0.3Sn0.7)HfO3 in high purity. Elemental mapping using EDS shows the Sn(II) cations diffuse gradually throughout the crystallites, with two reaction cycles needed to give a nearly homogeneous distribution. In contrast, similar reactions with BaSnO3 and as little as 10 ​mol% Sn(II) result in decomposition to SnO, SnO2, and BaSnO3. The (Ba1-xSnx)HfO3 compositions exhibit a primary cubic perovskite structure (Pm3¯m; for x ​= ​1/3, 1/2 and 2/3) by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods, with the Sn(II) cations substituted on the A-site. Total energy calculations show the thermodynamic instability versus the ground state (i.e., metastability) for (Ba1-xSnx)HfO3 increases with Sn(II) substitution, reaching a maximum of ~446 ​meV atom−1 at ~70 ​mol% Sn(II). The decomposition pathway of (Ba1/3Sn2/3)HfO3 was probed by ex situ XRD as well as in situ electron microscopy methods. An onset of thermally-induced decomposition begins at ~350–400 ​°C to give the more stable oxides which are found to segregate out in surface layers. These results help to elucidate the factors underpinning the synthesizability of highly metastable Sn(II)-containing perovskites, which increases with their cohesive energy and with the absence of lower-energy polymorphs or other ground states that can be reached without significant ion diffusion.}, journal={JOURNAL OF SOLID STATE CHEMISTRY}, author={Gabilondo, Eric A. and O'Donnell, Shaun and Broughton, Rachel and Jones, Jacob L. and Maggard, Paul A.}, year={2021}, month={Oct} }