Characterization of Sb2O3 subjected to different ion and plasma surface treatments

This paper presents a study of Sb₂O₃ subjected to oxygen plasma and to ion beam bombardment (Ar⁺ and O₂⁺ ions of 4 keV) by x‐ray photoelectron and reflected electron energy‐loss spectroscopies. Changes in stoichiometry (i.e O/Sb ratio) and oxidation state of Sb have been detected and correlated with the chemical and ballistic effects of the beams used for alteration of the Sb₂O₃ surface. Thus, oxygen plasma treatments lead to a significant oxidation of the surface layers of this material with the formation of up to 51% Sb⁵⁺ species as found by Sb 4d curve‐fitting analysis. By contrast, O₂⁺ ion bombardment only produces a mild oxidation of the target with the formation of ～13% Sb⁵⁺ species. Argon ion bombardment induces a complex process where Sb⁵⁺ and Sb⁰ species are formed simultaneously. This result has been discussed in terms of a disproportionation reaction of the type Sb³⁺ → Sb⁵⁺ + Sb⁰. The changes in the electronic properties of the treated material are consistent with the loss upon oxidation to Sb⁵⁺ of the valence states associated to the 5s² electron pair of antimony. Approximate shapes of valence bands for Sb₂O₃ and Sb₂O₅ pure compounds have been extracted by applying factor analysis to valence band spectra of Sb₂O₃ subjected to different ion and plasma treatments. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Facile preparation of Sb and oxide-coated Sb nanoparticles via cathodic dispersion of bulk Sb in different media

We report here a facile electrochemical method on the preparation of antimony nanoparticles (NPs) by dispersing a bulk antimony electrode under highly cathodic polarization in different media at room temperature, requiring neither precursor ions nor organic capping agents. The dispersion of bulk antimony in a tetrabutyl ammonium bromide (TBAB) acetonitrile solution involved the formation and oxidation of an unstable Zintl compound of antimony, and the as-prepared Sb NPs were readily transferred into Sb–Sb₂O₃ core–shell NPs during the post treatment and characterization because of the surface oxidation of Sb NPs by oxygen in the air. In contrast, Sb NPs prepared by dispersing the bulk antimony cathode in a blank aqueous NaOH solution were oxygen-resistant in the air because the strongly adsorbed hydroxide ions from the solution could stabilize the Sb NPs. The incorporation of sodium, the formation/oxidation of polyanions of antimony (Zintl ions), and the formation/decomposition of unstable antimony hydrides may all take effect for the cathodic dispersion of bulk antimony electrodes in the NaOH solution. Transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize these NPs.     

Barium antimonide oxide,Ba3Sb2O

The antimonide oxide Ba₃Sb₂O consists of discrete [Sb₂]^4? and O^2? anions, and crystallizes with a new structure type. The Sb—Sb distances are comparable to those known from electron‐precise zintl phases and the tetrahedral coordination of the O^2? anion is also observed in some other Ba‐rich metallide oxides.     

Electrochemical Behavior of Irreversibly Adsorbed Sb on Au Electrode

The electrochemical processes of irreversibly adsorbed antimony (Sb_ad) on Au electrode were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM). CV data showed that Sb_ad on Au electrode yielded oxidation and reduction features at about 0.15 V (vs saturated calomel electrode, SCE). EQCM data indicated that Sb_ad species were stable on Au electrode in the potential region from −0.25 to 0.18 V (vs SCE); the adsorption of Sb inhibited the adsorption of water and anion on Au electrode at low electrode potentials. Sb₂O₃ species was suggested to form on the Au electrode at 0.18 V. At a potential higher than 0.20 V the Sb₂O₃ species could be further oxidized to Sb(V) oxidation state and then desorbed from Au electrode.     

Hydrothermal synthesis of antimony oxychloride and oxide nanocrystals: Sb4O5Cl2, Sb8O11Cl2, and Sb2O3

We described herein a facile solution-phase route to three nanocrystals of antimony oxychlorides and oxides (Sb₄O₅Cl₂, Sb₈O₁₁Cl₂, and Sb₂O₃), whose morphologies and phases were varied with the pH value of a reaction mixture or composition of a mixed solvent. In particular, the solvent composition controlled the selective preparation of cubic Sb₂O₃ (senarmontite) and orthorhombic Sb₂O₃ (valentinite). Both cubic and orthorhombic Sb₂O₃ samples exhibited strong emission properties.     

Identification of segregation phase on a batch hot‐dip‐coated Zn/0.1Al/0.2Sb surface

The segregation of antimony in a batch hot‐dipped regular‐spangle galvanized coating from a Zn‐0.1Al‐0.2Sb bath was investigated. The samples were characterized by using SEM/EDS. The nature of the segregation phase was determined by XRD as βSb₃Zn₄. Assisted with Sb? Zn phase diagram, the behavior of antimony during the solidification process of the Zn‐0.1Al‐0.2Sb coating is examined. It is suggested that the coating solidification proceeds in three stages. Owing to the cooling rate of batch hot dip galvanizing process smaller than that of continuous hot dip galvanizing line (CGL), the resulting structure of the segregation phase in current work is βSb₃Zn₄ instead of metastable ζSb₂Zn₃ for CGL. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of Antimony Doping in Tin Oxide Thin Films Obtained by the Sol-Gel Method

The antimony doping in SnO₂ thin films prepared by the sol-gel dip-coating method has been studied using two characterization techniques. In order to determine the actual doping level directly in the deposited layers, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) have been used. We found that this doping level is systematically lower than expected from the starting solutions composition, and that two oxidation states are present: Sb³⁺ and Sb⁵⁺. As the antimony content increases, there is a competition between Sb⁵⁺ and Sb³⁺ species.The SnO₂: Sb thin films have also been observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), showing that the measured mean size of crystallites decreases as the Sb content increases in the oxide. No precipitates of either Sn or Sb oxides (other than SnO₂) could be detected.     

Preparation,crystal structure,and infrared characterization of the first thiocyanato-oxy-antimonate(III) [(CH3)4N]2[Sb6O4(NCS)12]

The salt [(CH₃)₄N]₂[Sb₆O₄(NCS)₁₂] is the first identified thiocyanato-oxy-antimonate(III) complex. Reported are details of the synthesis, relevant infrared data and its x-ray structure. The compound crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1 with Z = 2 (C₁₀H₁₂N₇O₂S₆Sb₃) and unit cell dimensions a = 11.314(6), b = 12.846(3), c = 8.679(2) Å; α = 91.93(3)°, β = 90.31(3)° and γ = 99.13(3)°. It contains centrosymmetric [Sb₆O₄(NCS)₁₂]^2? anions packed with isolated tetramethyl-ammonium cations. The fundamental structural element of the anion is provided by the fusion of three SbOSbO rings forming a zig-zag portion of a ribbon, only slightly pleated. Peculiar is the unequivalence of the six thiocyanate ligands, though all primarily N-bonded to antimony atoms. Three thiocyanates are terminal while other three are asymmetrically N-bridging between two centers; two of this latter type are also interconnecting the anions via Sb???S contacts. There are three different antimony environments, the primary bonding at Sb being to one nitrogen and three oxygens, to one oxygen and three nitrogens and to two atoms of each type.     

Solid-state reactions in the system Cu—Sb—O; Formation of a new copper(I) antimony oxide

The solid-state reactions in the system Cu—Sb—O were investigated by thermogravimetry and X-ray diffraction. Equimolar mixtures of CuO and Sb₂O₃ form Cu(II)Sb₂O₆ when slowly heated in air up to 1000°C. The firt step in this reaction is the oxidation of Sb₂O₃ to Sb₂O₄ at 380–500°C, followed by further oxidation of Sb₂O₄ and the formation of CuSb₂O₆ at 500–1000°C. Thermal decomposition of CuSb₂O₆ in a flowing nitrogen atmosphere occurs in three stages; the first, with an activation energy of 356 kJ mole^?1, results in the formation of a new copper(I) antimony oxide, with a composition of Cu₄SbO_4.5, as determined by atomic absorption analysis and X-ray fluoresecence. Confirmation of predominantly monovalent copper and pentavalent antimony in the new compound was by ESR and ESCA, respectively. Two forms of Cu₄SbO_4.5 have been distinguished; one of these (form II) has a structure of lower symmetry, and decomposes when heated in air at 600°C to a mixture of CuO and another new copper antimony oxide, as yet uncharacterized. On further heating to 1100°C in air, Cu₄SbO_4.5 (form I) gradually reforms. Details of these reactions are summarized and X-ray powder data presented for Cu₄SbO_4.5.     

Elemental distribution and thermoelectric properties of layered tellurides 39R-M(0.067)Sb(0.667)Te(0.266) (M=Ge, Sn)

The isostructural phases 39R‐Ge_0.067Sb_0.667Te_0.266 (R$\bar 3The isostructural phases 39R-Ge(0.067)Sb(0.667)Te(0.266) (R3m, a=4.2649(1), c=75.061(2) ?) and 39R-Sn(0.067)Sb(0.667)Te(0.266) (R3m, a=4.2959(1), c=75.392(2) ?) were prepared by quenching stoichiometric melts of the pure elements and subsequent annealing at moderate temperatures. Their structures are comparable to "superlattices" synthesized by layer-by-layer deposition onto a substrate. These structures show no stacking disorder by electron microscopy. The structure of the metastable layered phases are similar to that of 39R-Sb(10)Te(3) (equivalent to Sb(0.769)Te(0.231)), which contains four A7 gray-arsenic-type layers of antimony alternating with Sb(2)Te(3) slabs. Joint refinements on single-crystal diffraction data using synchrotron radiation at several K edges were performed to enhance the scattering contrast. These refinements show that the elemental distributions at some atom positions are disordered whereas otherwise the structures are long-range ordered. The variation of the elemental concentration correlates with the variation in interatomic distance. Z-contrast scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) on 39R-Ge(0.067)Sb(0.667)Te(0.266) confirms the presence of concentration gradients. The carrier-type of the isostructural metal (A7-type lamellae)-semiconductor heterostructures (Ge/Sn-doped Sb(2)Te(3) slabs) varies from n-type (Ge(0.067)Sb(0.667)Te(0.266)) to p-type (Sn(0.067)Sb(0.667)Te(0.266)). Although the absolute values of the Seebeck coefficient reached about 50-70 μV/K and the electrical conductivity is relatively high, the two isotypic phases exhibit a maximal thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of 0.06 at 400 °C as their thermal conductivity (κ≈8-9.5 W/mK at 400 °C) lies interestingly in between that of antimony and pure Sb(2)Te(3).