Synthetic Cu0.507(5)Pb8.73(9)Sb8.15(8)I1.6S20.0(2) nanowires

Nanowires of an iodine containing Pb-Sb-sulfosalt have been synthesized by chemical vapor transport. Their structure was studied using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. The lattice parameters show values equal to a=4.9801(4) nm, b=0.41132(8) nm (with two-fold superstructure), c=2.1989(1) nm and β=99.918(6)°. These parameters and the results of a multislice simulation are in good agreement with the mineral pillaite, Cu_0.10Pb_9.16Sb_9.84S_22.94Cl_1.06O_0.5 (space group C2/m, a=4.949(1) nm, b=0.41259(8) nm, c=2.1828(4) nm, and β=99.62(3)°). Microprobe and EDX analyses yielded a chemical composition of Cu_0.507(5)Pb_8.73(9)Sb_8.15(8)I_1.6S_20.0(2) which is close to natural pillaite but contains no oxygen and iodine instead of chlorine. The structure of the investigated material is based on chains of M-S polyhedra (M=Pb or Sb) typical for the architecture of sulfosalts implying iodine atoms in trigonal prismatic coordination with Pb atoms from the M-S polyhedra of neighboring chains. The 010] superstructure of the specimen was found to be unstable under electron beam irradiation with a rapid decrease of the b lattice parameter from 0.8 to 0.4 nm within 5 min.