Synthesis of Single Crystals and Nanostructures of Lead Oxide Carboxylates with HalogenatedBenzoate Ligands

Science Center, Bent Corridor

The solution processing of materials has been used in the top-down synthesis of nanostructures, which attract interest for properties that can differ from their bulk counterparts with the same chemical identity. The production of one-dimensional nanowires from the processing of hybrid materials has only been reported in a few cases. Through hydrothermal synthesis, our lab has synthesized single crystals of lead benzoate and lead oxide benzoate compounds with halogenated ligands. Furthermore, we have synthesized nanowire structures from the ultrasonication of lead benzoates with fluorinated and chlorinated ligands. Powder X-ray diffraction suggests that the sonication process may involve a chemical conversion, in which the lead benzoate hydrate changes into a corresponding lead oxide benzoate. Electron diffraction used to analyze the individual nanowires suggests that the structures are low in crystallinity. Investigation of this chemical conversion and the underlying process forming the nanowires may provide insight to the synthesis of low-dimensional materials via methods of solution processing.