Issue 20, 2024

Unraveling the molecular and growth mechanism of colloidal black In2O3−x

Abstract

Black metal oxides with varying concentrations of O-vacancies display enhanced optical and catalytic properties. However, direct solution syntheses of this class of materials have been limited despite being highly advantageous given the different synthetic handles that can be leveraged towards control of the targeted material. Herein, we present an alternate colloidal synthesis of black In2O3−x nanoparticles from the simple reaction between In(acac)3 and oleyl alcohol. Growth studies by PXRD, TEM, and STEM-EDS coupled to mechanistic insights from 1H, 13C NMR revealed the particles form via two paths, one of which involves In0. We also show that variations in the synthesis atmosphere, ligand environment, and indium precursor can inhibit formation of the black In2O3−x. The optical spectrum for the black nanoparticles displayed a significant redshift when compared to pristine In2O3, consistent with the presence of O-vacancies. Raman spectra and surface analysis also supported the presence of surface oxygen vacancies in the as-synthesized black In2O3−x.

Graphical abstract: Unraveling the molecular and growth mechanism of colloidal black In2O3−x

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
07 Oct 2023
Accepted
19 Apr 2024
First published
19 Apr 2024
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Nanoscale, 2024,16, 9875-9886

Unraveling the molecular and growth mechanism of colloidal black In2O3−x

C. Armstrong, K. Otero and E. A. Hernandez-Pagan, Nanoscale, 2024, 16, 9875 DOI: 10.1039/D3NR05035A

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