Aluminum, gallium, and indium oxopivalates: Thermodynamic characteristics of gallium oxopivalates

Aluminum, gallium, and indium oxopivalates were synthesized by a heterophase method, and their evaporation was studied by the Knudsen effusion method with the mass-spectral analysis of the gas phase. It was shown that oxopivalates can be considered within binary systems as compounds of the type mM(piv)₃ · nM₂O₃. The standard enthalpies of formation of gallium oxopivalates Ga₃O(piv)_7(gas), 7Ga(piv)₃ · Ga₂O_3(solid), 4Ga(piv)₃ · Ga₂O_3(solid), and 7Ga(piv)₃ · 2Ga₂O_3(solid) were found.     

Synthesis and characterization of gallium oxide nanoparticles

This review is based on the literature describing several methods for the synthesis of gallium oxide nanoparticles. Several techniques have been used for the synthesis of gallium oxide Ga₂O₃ nanoparticles. Gallium oxide Ga₂O₃ nanoparticles have been synthesized from different precursors. Different synthetic methods and different precursors produce nanoparticles which vary in size and shape. Over a dozen of synthetic methods for preparation of gallium oxide Ga₂O₃ nanoparticles together with the characterization techniques used have been discussed.     

Calorimetric Characterization of Surface Reactivity of Supported Ga2O3 Catalysts

The surface properties of supported gallium oxide catalysts prepared by impregnation of various supports (γ-Al₂O₃, SiO₂, TiO₂, ZrO₂) were investigated by adsorption microcalorimetry, using ammonia and water as probe molecules. In the case of acidic supports (γ-Al₂O₃, ZrO₂, TiO₂), the acidic character of supported gallium catalysts always decreased in comparison with gallium-free supports; on very weakly acidic SiO₂, new acidic centers were created when depositing Ga₂O₃. The addition of gallium oxide decreased the hydrophilic properties of alumina, titania and zirconia, but increased the amount of water adsorbed on silica. The catalytic performances in the selective catalytic reduction of NO by C₂H₄ in excess oxygenwere in the order Ga/Al₂O₃>Ga/TiO₂>Ga/ZrO₂>>Ga/SiO₂. This order is more related to the quality of the dispersion of Ga₂O₃ on the support than to the global acidity of the solids. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

磷化镍修饰磷掺杂氧化镓可见光催化水分解产氢

以Ga₂O₃半导体为前驱体,用浸渍加低温磷化法制备了P掺杂Ga₂O₃表面修饰Ni₂P光催化剂(x-Ni₂P/Ga₂O₃-P_y,x代表Ni²⁺和Ga₂O₃的物质的量之比,y代表NaH₂PO·H₂O与Ga₂O₃的物质的量之比)。5%-Ni₂P/Ga₂O₃-P₆催化剂展现出在纯水中光催化析氢的高活性,在430 nm光照下的光量子效率为0.22%。机理研究结果表明Ni₂P修饰和P掺杂扩展了催化剂的光响应范围,同时提升了载流子分离迁移效率,其长周期光催化反应稳定性明显优于未磷化催化剂。     

磷化镍修饰磷掺杂氧化镓可见光催化水分解产氢

以Ga₂O₃半导体为前驱体,用浸渍加低温磷化法制备了P掺杂Ga₂O₃表面修饰Ni₂P光催化剂(x-Ni₂P/Ga₂O₃-P_y,x代表Ni²⁺和Ga₂O₃的物质的量之比,y代表NaH₂PO·H₂O与Ga₂O₃的物质的量)。5%-Ni₂P/Ga₂O₃-P₆催化剂展现出在纯水中光催化析氢的高活性,在430 nm光照下的光量子效率为0.22%。机理研究结果表明Ni₂P修饰和P掺杂扩展了催化剂的光响应范围,同时提升了载流子分离迁移效率,其长周期光催化反应稳定性明显优于未磷化催化剂。     

Structures of Uncharacterised Polymorphs of Gallium Oxide from Total Neutron Diffraction

A structural investigation is reported of polymorphs of Ga₂O₃ that, despite much interest in their properties, have hitherto remained uncharacterised due to structural disorder. The most crystalline sample yet reported of γ‐Ga₂O₃ was prepared by solvothermal oxidation of gallium metal in ethanolamine. Structure refinement using the Rietveld method reveals γ‐Ga₂O₃ has a defect Fd$\bar 3$ m spinel structure, while pair distribution function analysis shows that the short‐range structure is better modelled with local F$\bar 4$ 3m symmetry. In further solvothermal oxidation reactions a novel gallium oxyhydroxide, Ga₅O₇(OH), is formed, the thermal decomposition of which reveals a new, transient gallium oxide polymorph, κ‐Ga₂O₃, before transformation into β‐Ga₂O_3. In contrast, the thermal decomposition of Ga(NO₃)₃?9 H₂O first forms ε‐Ga₂O₃ and then β‐Ga₂O₃. Examination of in situ thermodiffraction data shows that ε‐Ga₂O₃ is always contaminated with β‐Ga₂O₃ and with this knowledge a model for its structure was deduced and refined—space group P6₃mc with a ratio of tetrahedral/octahedral gallium of 2.2:1 in close‐packed oxide layers. Importantly, thermodiffraction provides no evidence for the existence of the speculated bixbyite structured δ‐Ga₂O₃; at the early stages of thermal decomposition of Ga(NO₃)₃?9 H₂O the first distinct phase formed is merely small particles of ε‐Ga₂O₃.     

Synthesis and properties of γ-Ga<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>–Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> solid solutions

The textural and structural properties of mixed oxides Ga₂O₃–Al₂O₃, obtained via impregnating γ-Al₂O₃ with a solution of Ga(NO₃)₃ and subsequent heat treatment, are studied. According to the results from X-ray powder diffraction, gallium ions are incorporated into the structure of aluminum oxide to form a solid solution of spinel-type γ-Ga₂O₃–Al₂O₃ up to a Ga₂O₃ content of 50 wt % of the total weight of the sample, accompanied by a reduction in the specific surface area, volume, and average pore diameter. It is concluded that when the Ga₂O₃ content exceeds 50 wt %, the β-Ga₂O₃ phase is observed along with γ-Ga₂O₃–Al₂O₃ solid solution. ⁷¹Ga and ²⁷Al NMR spectroscopy shows that gallium replaces aluminum atoms from the tetrahedral position to the octahedral coordination in the structure of γ-Ga₂O₃–Al₂O₃.     

Kinetics of Oxidation Processes in the System Co/Ga studied by in situ X‐Ray Diffraction

Oxidation processes in the system Co/Ga were studied by in situ X‐ray diffraction at temperatures between 800 and 1000 °C. Experiments were performed with metal powders and planar substrates. Oxidation of cobalt‐rich alloys, Co_1‐xGa_x, results in the formation of mixtures of cobalt‐ and gallium‐containing oxides. During oxidation of the intermetallic compounds CoGa and CoGa₃ only gallium is oxidized, and dense tarnishing layers of β‐Ga₂O₃ are formed. In all cases the oxide products are only intermediate products on the way to thermodynamic equilibrium, i.e. total oxidation of both metals. The kinetics during oxidation of the intermetallic compound CoGa was studied in detail by time resolved in situ X‐ray diffraction. After an induction time the kinetics can be described by a parabolic rate law with an activation energy of 312 kJ mol^—1. From the decrease of the parabolic rate constant with decreasing oxygen partial pressure and the observation of pore formation at the metal‐oxide interface it can be concluded that (i) outward diffusion of Ga‐ions through β‐Ga₂O₃ is the rate determining step during this solid state reaction, and (ii) Ga‐ions are mobile by means of gallium vacancies.     

The intermetallic phases of gallium and alkali metals. Interpretation of the structures according to Wade's electron-counting methods

This is a survey of the preparation and structural properties of the intermetallic phases of gallium and alkali metals. Unlike the already known phases of gallium with lithium or sodium, the structures of the recently discovered phases Li₃Ga₁₄, Na₂₂Ga₃₉, KGa₃, K₃Ga₁₃, RbGa₃, RbGa₇, and CsGa₇ are characterized by stackings of coordinated gallium polyhedra such as icosahedra, octadecahedra, dodecahedra, and undecahedra. In these phases the alkali metals stabilize the gallium framework by giving their valence electrons. On this basis, the structures are interpreted according to Wade's electron-counting procedure, bringing the Zintl phases to a more general concept and enhancing the interest on the transition forms between metallic and ionic bonding.     

Calorimetric study of the adsorption of air pollutants on alumina-supported tin and gallium oxides

The differential enthalpies of adsorption of air pollutants such as SO₂, NO₂, NO on aluminasupported tin and gallium oxides were measured by calorimetry coupled with isothermal volumetry. Whatever the amount of tin or gallium on alumina, the enthalpies of adsorption of SO₂ at low coverage were of the same order of magnitude or up to 50 kJ/mol lower than those of the support. The amount of SO₂ adsorbed decreased with increasing SnO₂ loading and increased with increasing Ga₂O₃ loading on the alumina. The differential enthalpies of adsorption of NO₂ are close to those on the support whatever the amount of tin or gallium (around 120–130 kJ/mol). NO is only reversibly adsorbed on the samples. The calorimetric data of ammonia adsorption are given for comparison.     

Quantum chemical calculation of the catalytic reaction of ethane dehydrogenation on gallium oxide-hydroxide binuclear clusters in oxidized GaO/ZSM-5 zeolite

The catalytic activity of oxidized GaO/HZSM-5 in the reaction of alkane dehydrogenation can be due to hydrogenated gallium oxide clusters stabilized in the cationic positions of the zeolite. The binuclear gallium oxide clusters [Ga₂O₂]²⁺ in oxidized gallium-substituted high-silica zeolite HZSM-5, which are isomeric to two gallyl ions [GaO]⁺ stabilized on two spatially separated lattice aluminum ions, were considered using the DFT method within the framework of a cluster approach. It was found that, even in the case of a relatively large distance between these aluminum ions, gallium oxide particles in oxidized GaO/HZSM-5 can occur as charged planar [Ga₂O₂]²⁺ four-membered rings. These cluster particles exhibited a high affinity to hydrogen, and they were readily hydrogenated with the retention of their structural integrity. It was demonstrated that this partially hydrogenated cluster could be responsible for the catalytic process of ethane dehydrogenation. In the first step, ethane dissociatively added to the [Ga₂O₂H₂]²⁺ cluster. Then, the ethylene molecule was eliminated from the resulting intermediate to leave the [Ga₂O₂H₄]²⁺ cluster. The cycle was closed by the elimination of a hydrogen molecule with the formation of the initial structure of [Ga₂O₂H₂]²⁺.     

Effects of the crystalline structure of Ga2O3 on the photocatalytic activity for CO production from CO2

Ga₂O₃ samples with different crystalline structures were prepared by calcination of a gallium nitrate powder around 800 K. Ga₂O₃ samples with mixed phases of γ and β showed high photocatalytic activity for CO production from CO₂ reduction with water, and the activity was even higher than that for an Ag-loaded β-Ga₂O_3. The photocatalytic activity increased with time. The increase was attributed to the appearance of GaOOH resulting from the interaction of Ga₂O₃ with water during the reaction as revealed by XRD and XPS analyses. In situ FT-IR measurements revealed that bicarbonates and bidentate carbonate species were adsorbed on GaOOH. Therefore, the increase of the photocatalytic activity with time would be derived from the formation of GaOOH phase on the γ-Ga₂O₃ and β-Ga₂O₃ sample.     

Syntheses, X-ray structures and CVD studies of diorganoalkoxogallanes

Structural studies by X-ray crystallography have been carried out for a range of diorganoalkoxogallanes incorporating donor-functionalized ligands. The compounds [Et₂Ga(μ-OR)]₂ (1, R = CH₂CH₂NMe₂; 2, R = CH(CH₃)CH₂NMe₂; 3, C(CH₃)₂CH₂OMe; 4, R = CH(CH₂NMe₂)₂) adopt dimeric structures with a planar Ga₂O₂ ring, and each gallium atom is coordinated in a distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry. Low pressure chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of 2 and 4 resulted in the formation of oxygen deficient gallium oxide thin films on glass. However, the reaction of Et₃Ga and ROH (R = CH₂CH₂NMe₂, CH(CH₃)CH₂NMe₂, C(CH₃)₂CH₂OMe, CH(CH₂NMe₂)₂) in toluene under aerosol assisted (AA)CVD conditions afforded stoichiometric Ga₂O₃ thin films on glass. This CVD technique offers a rapid, convenient route to Ga₂O₃, which involves the in situ formation of diethylalkoxogallanes, of the type [Et₂Ga(μ-OR)]₂, the structures of which are described in this paper. The gallium oxide films were deposited at 450 °C and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction, wavelength dispersive analysis of X-rays (WDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy.     

Effect of inert components (Y2O3, Al2O3, and Ga2O3) on the chemistimulating effect of the Sb2O3 activator of GaAs thermal oxidation

Chemistimilated thermal oxidation of gallium arsenide was studied using Sb₂O₃ activator oxide in compositions with Ga₂O₃, Al₂O₃, and Y₂O₃ inert components. For Sb₂O₃-Y₂O₃ compositions, the thickness of the resulting oxide layer on GaAs was found to be a linear function of composition over the enter range of the compositions. For antimony oxide compositions with Ga₂O₃ and Al₂O₃ inert components, nonadditivities were observed near the component ordinates. For the Sb₂O₃-Ga₂O₃ system, the chemistimulating efficiency noticeably weakened at low concentrations of the inert component. The linear trend observed for this system within 0–60 mol % Sb₂O₃ is additively determined by the oxide layer thickness on GaAs in the presence of Sb₂O₃ and in the absence of activator. In the presence of inert Al₂O₃, the chemistimulating effect was enhanced near the Al₂O₃ ordinate and the resulting function was nonadditive with respect to the thicknesses reached in the presence of the individual components.     

Study of the acid-base properties of Ga2O3/Al2O3 by using test reactions

Two test reactions: conversions of propan-2-ol and 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol were applied for the investigation of the acid-base properties of Ga₂O₃-Al₂O₃ materials. Both test reactions lead to consistent conclusions on the overall acid-base properties of the materials studied. It has been found that the deposition of gallium oxide on the surface of γ-Al₂O₃ enhances the overall basicity.     

Crystal-structure refinement, thermal expansion, and chemical distortion of Bi2Ga4O9

Single crystals of Bi₂Ga₄O₉ are grown from a solution in a bismuth oxide melt. The structure (orthorhombic, space group Pbam, a = 7.918(2) Å, b = 8.299(2) Å, c = 5.894(2) Å, Z = 2) is refined to R = 0.052 in the anisotropic approximation based on single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The structure is a framework. The bismuth(III) atoms are sixfold coordinated; gallium(III) exists in both tetrahedral and octahedral coordinations. The thermal expansion of Bi₂Ga₄O₉ is studied by high-temperature X-ray powder diffraction method and is found to be sharply anisotropic. A structural interpretation of the anisotropy is proposed. Chemical distortion in the Bi₂M₄O₉ compounds with M = Fe(III), Al, or Ga is analyzed and compared with the thermal expansion of Bi₂Ga₄O₉.     

New gallium germanates with tunnel structures: α-Ga4GeO8 and Ga4Ge3O12

The structure of several gallium germanates has been established or confirmed (Ga₄GeO₈ α and β forms, Ga₂GeO₅, Ga₄Ge₃O₁₂). Among them, α-Ga₄GeO₈ exhibits a new type of tunnel structure resulting from an intergrowth of GeO₂ rutile elements in the β-gallia network. Large hexagonal tunnels take place at the junction of both lattices. This compound is the first term of a series having as general formula Ga₄M_2n−1O_4n+4. Several other compounds M = Ge (n = 1, 2), Ti (n = 2, 3, 11 …), and Sn (n = 1) belong to the same family.     

Pd/Ga<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>–Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> catalysts for the selective liquid-phase hydrogenation of acetylene to ethylene

The structure of Ga₂O₃–Al₂O₃ supports and Pd/Ga₂O₃–Al₂O₃ catalysts and the performance of these catalysts in liquid-phase acetylene hydrogenation have been investigated. The deposition of Ga(NO₃)₃ onto Al₂O₃ by impregnation followed by calcination of the impregnated support at 600°C yields γ-Ga₂O₃–Al₂O₃ solid solutions containing up to 50 wt % Ga₂O₃. X-ray diffraction characterization of model palladium catalysts and their temperature-programmed reduction with hydrogen have demonstrated that, while palladium in Pd/Ga₂O₃ is in the form of a Pd₂Ga alloy, in the Pd/γ-Ga₂O₃–Al₂O₃ catalyst there is no direct interaction between PdО and Ga₂O₃ particles and palladium is in the monometallic state. The introduction of 10–20 wt % gallium oxide into Al₂O₃ lowers the activity of the supported palladium catalyst relative to that of the initial Pd/Al₂O₃ but increases the ethylene yield by enhancing the ethylene formation selectivity.     

Mechanochemical-thermal preparation and structural studies of mullite-type Bi2(GaxAl1−x)4O9 solid solutions

A series of Bi₂(Ga_xAl_1−x)₄O₉ solid solutions (0≤x≤1), prepared by mechanochemical processing of Bi₂O₃/Ga₂O₃/Al₂O₃ mixtures and subsequent annealing, was investigated by XRD, EDX, and ²⁷Al MAS NMR. The structure of the Bi₂(Ga_xAl_1−x)₄O₉ solid solutions is found to be orthorhombic, space group Pbam (No. 55). The lattice parameters of the Bi₂(Ga_xAl_1−x)₄O₉ series increase linearly with increasing gallium content. Rietveld refinement of the XRD data as well as the analysis of the ²⁷Al MAS NMR spectra show a preference of gallium cations for the tetrahedral sites in Bi₂(Ga_xAl_1−x)₄O₉. As a consequence, this leads to a far from random distribution of Al and Ga cations across the whole series of solid solutions.     

Microcalorimetric Studies of the Surface Reactivity of Pollutant Gas Atmospheres on Supported SnO2 and Ga2O3 Catalysts

The surface properties of gallium oxide and tin dioxide supported on alumina or titania have been studied by adsorption microcalorimetry. The differential heats of adsorption of various pollutant adsorbates such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and also ammonia were measured on these catalytic surfaces. NH₃, SO₂, NO₂ are strongly adsorbed while NO is only physisorbed. The supported Ga₂O₃ samples show a slight decrease in acidity as probed by ammonia adsorption, compared to alumina or titania. The addition of SnO₂ decreases the number of strong acid sites but creates a few weak and medium strength acid sites on alumina and does not modify the acidity of titania. In all cases, the basicity, probed by SO₂ adsorption, is very strongly affected by the deposition of Ga₂O₃ or SnO₂. The differential heats of NO₂ adsorption remain nearly constant on all samples. The heats of adsorption are discussed as a function of the coverage and of the amount of guest oxide. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.