Aqueous synthesis of group IIIA nitrides at low temperature

Abstract

Group IIIA nitrides have been synthesized in aqueous solution under mild conditions for the first time. The reaction was carried out in an aqueous solution with NH₄Cl as nitrogen source at 250 °C. X-Ray diffraction, transmission electronic microscope, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electronic diffraction patterns, X-ray photoelectron spectra, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, infrared absorption spectra and ultraviolet and visible light (UV-vis) spectra were used to characterize the products. It was found that the bandgaps of group IIIA nitrides and their alloy nanocrystals can cover the region of 2.1–6.3 eV.