Synthesis and Characterization of Inorganic–Organic Hybrid Gallium Selenides

Design of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Heterostructured Semiconductors via High-Throughput Materials Screening for Optoelectronic Applications

Organic-inorganic hybrid semiconductors, of which organometal halide perovskites are representative examples, have drawn significant research interest as promising candidates for next-generation optoelectronic applications. This interest is mainly ascribed to the emergent optoelectronic properties of the hybrid semiconductors that are distinct from those of their purely inorganic and organic counterparts as well as different material fabrication strategies and the other material (e.g., mechanical) properties that combine the advantages of both. Herein, we present a high-throughput first-principles material screening study of the hybrid heterostructured semiconductors (HHSs) that differ entirely from organometal halide perovskite hybrid ion-substituting semiconductors. HHSs crystallize as superlattice structures composed of inorganic tetrahedrally coordinated semiconductor sublayers and organic sublayers made of bidentate chain-like molecules. By changing the composition (e.g., IV, III-V, II-VI, I-III-VI₂ semiconductor) and polymorph (e.g., wurtzite and zinc-blende) of the inorganic components, the type of organic molecules (e.g., ethylenediamine, ethylene glycol, and ethanedithiol), and the thickness of the composing layers across 234 candidate HHSs, we investigated their thermodynamic, electronic structure, and optoelectronic properties. Thermodynamic stability analysis indicates the existence of 96 stable HHSs beyond the ZnTe/ZnSe-based ones synthesized experimentally. The electronic structure and optoelectronic properties of HHSs can be modulated over a wide range by manipulating their structural variants. A machine learning approach was further applied to the high-throughput calculated data to identify the critical descriptors determining thermodynamic stability and electronic band gap. Our results indicate promising prospects and provide valuable guidance for the rational design of organic-inorganic hybrid heterostructured semiconductors for potential optoelectronic applications.

Integrating Zeolite-Type Chalcogenide with Titanium Dioxide Nanowires for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Activity

Developing photoanodes with efficient visible-light harvesting and excellent charge separation still remains a key challenge in photoelectrochemical water splitting. Here zeolite-type chalcogenide CPM-121 is integrated with TiO₂ nanowires to form a heterostructured photoanode, in which crystalline CPM-121 particles serve as a visible light absorber and TiO₂ nanowires serve as an electron conductor. Owing to the small band gap of chalcogenides, the hybrid electrode demonstrates obvious absorption in visible-light range. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) shows that electron transport in the hybrid electrode has been significantly facilitated due to the heterojunction formation. A >3-fold increase in photocurrent is observed on the hybrid electrode under visible-light illumination when it is used as a photoanode in a neutral electrolyte without sacrificial agents. This study opens up a new avenue to explore the potential applications of crystalline porous chalcogenide materials for solar-energy conversion in photoelectrochemistry.

Multifunctional indium complexes with fluorescent sensing and selective adsorption dye properties

Four new complexes [InCl₂(Hphth)(4,4′-bipy)_0.5(H₂O)]·2H₂O (H₂phth = phthalic acid, 4,4′-bipy = 4,4′-bipyridine) (1), [InCl₄(4,4′-bipyH)(H₂O)] (2), [InCl(Hphth)(nia)(H₂O)₂] (Hnia = nicotinic acid) (3), [InCl(Hnia)₂(Hox)₂]·3H₂O (H₂ox = oxalic acid) (4) were synthesized by the reaction of Indium chloride (InCl₃) with H₂phth, Hnia, 4,4′-bipy and H₂ox as the ligands.

A Highly Stable 3D Luminescent Indium-Polycarboxylic Framework for the Turn-off Detection of UO22+, Ru3+, and Biomolecule Thiamines

Hydrothermal reaction of the multidentate organic ligand (H₆TTHA) with indium chloride (InCl₃) produced a highly stable 3D luminescent indium-organic framework [In₂(OH)₂(H₂TTHA)(H₂O)₂]_n (1). Complex 1 exhibits remarkable luminescent properties, especially the multifunction sensitivity and selectivity for detecting Ru³⁺, UO₂²⁺; as well as small biomolecules thiamines (TPP, TMP, and TCl) based on a "turn-off" manner. In particular, the pyrophosphate groups of TPP and the phosphate groups of TMP could further affect the quenching rate, leading to different luminescent responds. In addition, we also discussed and proved the luminescence quenching mechanism in detail through comparative test and PXRD characterization. Therefore, complex 1 could be used as a kind of excellent luminescence sensor to detect Ru³⁺, UO₂²⁺, and thiamines (TPP, TMP, and TCl).

Long-chain amine-templated synthesis of gallium sulfide and gallium selenide nanotubes

We describe the soft chemistry synthesis of amine-templated gallium chalcogenide nanotubes through the reaction of gallium(iii) acetylacetonate and the chalcogen (sulfur, selenium) using a mixture of long-chain amines (hexadecylamine and dodecylamine) as a solvent. Beyond their role as solvent, the amines also act as a template, directing the growth of discrete units with a one-dimensional multilayer tubular nanostructure. These new materials, which broaden the family of amine-stabilized gallium chalcogenides, can be tentatively classified as direct large band gap semiconductors. Their preliminary performance as active material for electrodes in lithium ion batteries has also been tested, demonstrating great potential in energy storage field even without optimization.

Synthesis and structural characterization of a novel copper(II)/lead(II) heterometallic organic–inorganic hybrid

A new copper(II)/lead(II) complex [(terpy)3CuPb5Br12] (1) (terpy = 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine) has been synthesized and characterized by IR, elemental analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The copper(II) and lead(II) ions in the title complex are in distorted six- (Cu(II), Pb(II)) and eight-fold (Pb(II)) coordination environments, in which the donor atoms are provided by bromide anions and nitrogen atoms of the 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine ligands. Complex 1 contains [(terpy)4Pb9Br20]2– building blocks. These bromoplumbate(II) clusters are connected by (terpy)2Cu2Br4 units along the crystallographic b axis and by PbBr6 units along the a axis, thereby forming an extended sheet structure.