Thermodynamics,structure and kinetics in the system Ga–O–N

Within the ternary system Ga–O–N we performed experimental and theoretical investigations on the thermodynamics, structure and kinetics of new stable and metastable compounds.We studied the ammonolysis of β-Ga₂O₃ at elevated temperatures by means of ex situ X-ray diffraction, ex situ neutron diffraction, and in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). From total diffraction pattern refinement with the Rietveld method we analyzed the anionic occupancy factors and the lattice parameters of β-Ga₂O₃ during the reaction. Within the detection limits of these methods, we can rule out the existence of a crystalline oxynitride phase that is not derived from wurtzite-type GaN. The nitrogen solubility in β-Ga₂O₃ was found to be below the detection limit of about 2–3 at.% in the anionic sublattice. The kinetics of the ammonolysis of β-Ga₂O₃ to α-GaN and of the oxidation of α-GaN to β-Ga₂O₃ was studied by means of in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy. In both cases the reaction kinetics could be described well by fitting linear combinations of β-Ga₂O₃ and α-GaN spectra only, excluding that other crystalline or amorphous phases appear during these reactions. The kinetics of the ammonolysis can be described well by an extended Johnson–Mehl–Avrami–Kolmogorow model with nucleation and growth of GaN nuclei, while the oxidation kinetics can be modeled by a shrinking core model where Ga₂O₃ grows as a layer. Investigations by means of TEM and SEM support the assumptions in both models.To investigate the structure and energetics of spinel-type gallium oxynitrides (γ-galons) we performed first-principles calculations using density-functional theory. In addition to the ideal cubic γ-Ga₃O₃N we studied gallium deficient γ-galons within the Constant-Anion-Model.In highly non-stoichiometric, amorphous gallium oxide of approximate composition GaO_1.2 we found at a temperature around 670 K an insulator–metal transition, with a conductivity jump of seven orders of magnitude. We demonstrate through experimental studies and density-functional theory calculations that the conductivity jump takes place at a critical gallium concentration and is induced by crystallization of stoichiometric β-Ga₂O₃ within the metastable oxide matrix. By doping with nitrogen the critical temperature and the conductivity in the highly conducting state can be tuned.     

Synthesis and characterization of α-, β-, and γ-Ga2o3 prepared from aqueous solutions by controlled precipitation

α, β and γ-Ga₂O₃ have been successfully obtained in an easily scalable synthesis using aqueous solution of gallium nitrate and sodium carbonate as starting materials without any surfactant and additive. α and β-Ga₂O₃ were obtained by calcination at 350 and 700 °С, respectively, of α-GaOOH, prepared by controlled precipitation at constant pH 6 and T = 55 °С, with 24 h of aging. Aging was necessary to fully convert the initially preciptated gel into a well-crystalline and phase-pure material. γ-Ga₂O₃ was obtained after calcination at 500 °С of gallia gel, synthesized at constant pH 4 and T = 25 °С, without aging. These three polymorphs have a for gallia relatively high surface area: 55 m²/g (α-Ga₂O₃), 23 m²/g (β-Ga₂O₃) and 116 m²/g (γ-Ga₂O₃). The combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), nitrogen physisorption and thermogravimetry (TG) was employed to characterize the samples and their formation.     

On the ammonolysis of Ga2O3: An XRD, neutron diffraction and XAS investigation of the oxygen-rich part of the system Ga2O3-GaN

We investigated the ammonolysis of β-Ga₂O₃ at elevated temperatures by means of ex situ X-ray diffraction, ex situ neutron diffraction and in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Within the detection limits of these methods, we can rule out the existence of a crystalline or amorphous oxynitride phase that is not derived from wurtzite-type GaN. No evidence for a β-Ga₂O₃ related oxynitride phase was found, and the nitrogen solubility in β-Ga₂O₃ was found to be below the detection limit of about 2-3 at% in the anionic sublattice. These findings were obtained by monitoring the anionic occupancy factors and the lattice parameters of the β-Ga₂O₃ phase obtained from total diffraction pattern refinement with the Rietveld method and by linear combination fitting of the X-ray absorption spectra that were recorded during the ammonolysis.     

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.     

On the structure of β-Ga2O3

The deviation from the symmetry $\text{2}\text{m}$ to 1 of β-Ga₂O₃ as reported by Wolten and Chase must be very small. It is apparently not measurable by X-ray intensity differences, by EPR of both Fe³⁺-and Cr³⁺-doped β-Ga₂O₃, by Mössbauer effect spectroscopy of Fe³⁺-substituted β-Ga₂O₃, or by optical and microwave resonance spectroscopy. Second harmonic generation, as measured by the Kurtz-Perry technique, and pyroelectricity are absent. It is pointed out also that single crystals of high-pressure phase Ga_2?xIn_xO₃ have been reported to be isostructural with the monoclinic β-Ga₂O₃.     

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.     

Photocatalytic performance of combustion-synthesized β and γ-Ga2O3 in the degradation of 1,4-dioxane in aqueous solution

Nanostructures of β and γ-Ga₂O₃ were prepared by the solution combustion route using urea as fuel. The synthesized nano photocatalysts were characterized by use of XRD, FT-IR, BET, TEM, TGA–DTA, DRS, and Raman spectroscopy. XRD and TEM investigations confirmed the nanostructures; particle size was in the range 3–5 nm for γ-Ga₂O₃ and 40–50 nm for β-Ga₂O₃. The specific surface area of γ-Ga₂O₃ was 91 m² g^?1 and that of β-Ga₂O₃ was 24.3 m² g^?1. The polymorphs of gallium oxide were used as photocatalysts for decomposition of 1,000 mg/l 1,4-dioxane. More than 90 % of the 1,4-dioxane could be degraded in less than 180 min by use of 10 mg/l photocatalyst + 0.5 ml H₂O₂. The efficiency of photocatalytic degradation of 1,4-dioxane by the synthesized photocatalysts was compared with that of P-25 TiO₂ and followed the order γ-Ga₂O₃ ≥ β-Ga₂O₃ > P-25 TiO₂. The degradation was found to follow pseudo first-order kinetics.     

A Ga2O·11Al2O3 nanonet prepared by interfacial reaction growth approach and its application in fabricating GaN nanowires

A Ga₂O·11Al₂O₃ nanonet was synthesized by using Ga₂O₃ powder as the precursor to generate Ga₂O vapor in H₂ atmosphere which further reacted with Al₂O₃ at 730 °C to form Ga₂O·11Al₂O₃ at the interfaces of a porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template. The prepared Ga₂O·11Al₂O₃ nanonet then served as a Ga₂O-stablizing reservoir to fabricate single crystal GaN nanowires. The residual Ga₂O₃ powder at the surface of the produced Ga₂O·11Al₂O₃ nanonet and the metallic Ga or Ga₂O from the Ga₂O·11Al₂O₃ decomposition reacted with ammonia to yield GaN nanowires at 780 °C. The reaction mechanisms were investigated.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Spinel‐Type Gallia‐Alumina Solid Solutions

By precipitation with ammonia of ethanolic solutions containing the appropriate proportions of gallium and aluminium nitrate, following by calcination of the resulting gels at 773 K, mixed Ga₂O₃/Al₂O₃ oxides having Ga:Al ratios of 9:1, 4:1, 1:1, 1:4 and 1:9 were obtained. Powder X‐ray diffraction showed that these mixed metal oxides form a series of solid solutions having the spinel‐type structure; also shown by γ‐Al₂O₃ and γ‐Ga₂O₃. The specific surface area (determined by nitrogen adsorption at 77 K) was found to range from 160 m² g^?1 for the mixed oxide having Ga:Al = 9:1 up to 370 m² g^?1 for that having Ga:Al = 1:9. High resolution MAS NMR showed that Ga³⁺ and Al³⁺ ions occur at both tetrahedral and octahedral sites in the spinel‐type structure of the mixed metal oxides, although there is a preferential occupation of tetrahedral sites by Ga³⁺ ions. A proportion of penta‐coordinated Al³⁺ ions was also found. IR spectra of carbon monoxide adsorbed at 77 K showed that the mixed metal oxides have a considerable Lewis acidity, related mainly to tetrahedrally coordinated metal ions exposed at crystal surfaces. The characteristic infrared absorption band of coordinated (adsorbed) CO appears in the range 2205–2190 cm^?1, and its peak wavenumber is nearly independent of Ga:Al ratio in the mixed gallia‐alumina oxides.     

On the Role of Amides and Imides for Understanding GaN Syntheses from Ammonia Solution: Molecular Mechanics Models of Ammonia,Amide and Imide Interactions with Gallium Nitride

A key requisite to characterizing GaN precipitation from ammonia solution from molecular simulations is the availability of reliable molecular mechanics models for the interactions of gallium ions with NH₃, NH₂⁻, and NH²⁻ species, respectively. Here, we present a tailor-made force field which is fully compatible to an earlier developed GaN model, thus bridging the analyses of Ga³⁺ ions in ammonia solution with the aggregation of [Ga_x(NH)_y(NH₂)_z]^+3x−2y−z precursors and the modelling of GaN crystals. For this, quantum mechanical characterization of a series of Ga-coordination clusters is used for parameterization and benchmarking the generalized amber force field (GAFF2) and tailor-made refinements needed to achieve good agreement of both structural features and formation energy, respectively. The perspectives of our models for larger scale molecular dynamics simulations are demonstrated by the analyses of amide and imide defects arrangement during the growth of GaN crystal faces.     

A comparative study of Ir/Ga<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>, Pt/Ga<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>, and Ru/Ga<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript> catalysts in selective hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde

Catalytic performance of gallia-supported iridium catalysts in the reaction of selective hydrogenation of crotonaldehyde in the gas phase was studied and compared to that of platinum and ruthenium catalysts. The best catalytic properties in terms of the selectivity to crotyl alcohol are shown by 5 wt % Pt/α-Ga₂O₃ and 5 wt % Ir/α-Ga₂O₃ catalysts prepared from nonchlorine precursors: Pt(acac)₂ and Ir(acac)₃, but for the 5 wt % Pt/α-Ga₂O₃ a very high selectivity of 75% at the high conversion (ca. 60%) is observed. A high selectivity of galia-supported iridium and platinum catalysts was explained by the surface reducibility of gallium oxide leading to covering (decoration) of platinum and iridium by gallium suboxides and the promoting effect of gallium.     

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.     

用于低温浆态床二甲醚水蒸气重整制氢的水解组分γ-Ga2O3的制备与表征

以有机溶剂均匀沉淀法制备了镓的氧化物,借助XRD、NH₃-TPD、TEM和BET等手段对物相结构、表面性质等进行了表征。结果表明,制备过程中得到的前驱体为GaOOH,前驱体经500 ℃热处理后得到γ-Ga₂O₃。γ-Ga₂O₃的晶格类型与γ-Al₂O₃相似,为有阳离子缺陷的立方尖晶石结构。表面具有酸量较大的中强酸中心,而弱酸中心含量相对较少。微观上大多为厚10 nm、直径100 nm左右的二维纳米片,大部分纳米片分布于一个方向,一些组成花瓣形。将制得的γ-Ga₂O₃用于DME水解反应,结果表明,270 ℃下DME的转化率可达24%,接近平衡转化率,反应后催化剂的织构性质没有显著变化,比表面积仍可达到130 m²/g。将γ-Ga₂O₃与Cu基催化剂复合后用于270 ℃下的低温浆态床DME水蒸气重整反应,DME转化率和H₂选择性高达99%和68%,经200 h反应后催化剂仍能保持95%以上的活性,表现出良好的工业化应用前景。     

Zur Kinetik der Spinellbildung von β-Ga2O3 mit zweiwertigen Oxiden. V. Die Festkörperreaktion 2. Art im System NiO – β-Ga2O3

The Formation of Spinels from β-Ga₂O₃ and Metal Oxides with the Metal in the Oxidation State +2. V. The Solid State Reaction of the Second Kind in the NiO—β-Ga₂O₃ System The reaction of the second kind between Ni_1–zGa_2z/3O, that is NiO presaturated with β-Ga₂O₃, and pure β-Ga₂O₃, which has a negligible solubility for NiO, was investigated between 1 249 and 1 527°C. In accordance with the phase diagram of the NiO—β-Ga₂O₃ system a spinel with the general formula Ni_1–yGa_2+2y/3O₄ is formed in a sandwich type diffusion couple. The reaction follows a parabolic rate law with an activation energy of 84 880 cal/mole; the mechanism is the Wagner mechanism of counterdiffusion of cations. The reaction rate constants of the second kind, determined from interdiffusion profiles in NiO/β-Ga₂O₃ diffusion couples are in good agreement with experimental values.     

Phase relations in the pseudobinary system TiO2Ga2O3

Phase relations and microstructures in the TiO₂-rich part of the TiO₂Ga₂O₃ pseudobinary system have been determined at temperatures between 1373 and 1623°K using X-ray diffraction and electron and optical microscopy. The phases occurring in the system are TiO₂ (rutile), β-Ga₂O₃, a series of oxides Ga₄Ti_m?4O_2m?2 (m odd) which exist above 1463°K, and Ga₂TiO₅, which exists above 1598°K. The width of the phase region occupied by the Ga₄Ti_m?4O_2m?2 phases varies with temperature. At 1473°K it is narrow, and has limits of Ga₄Ti₂₅O₅₆ to Ga₄Ti₂₁O₄₈ while at higher temperatures it broadens to limits of from Ga₄Ti₂₇O₆₀ to Ga₄Ti₁₁O₂₈ at 1623°K. These phases are often disordered and crystals frequently contain partially ordered intergrowths of oxides with various values of m. On the TiO₂-rich side of the phase region there is a continuous change in texture from rutile to the end members of the Ga₄Ti_m?4O_2m?2 structures. The findings are summarized on a phase diagram.     

Synthesis and structure of N-salicylidene-o-aminophenolato gallium(III) complexes

The reactions of Ga(acac)₃ with N-salicylidene-o-aminophenol (saphH₂) and its 5-methyl (5MesaphH₂) and 5-bromo (5BrsaphH₂) derivatives in alcohols afforded the complexes [Ga(acac)(saph)(EtOH)] (1), [Ga(acac)(5Mesaph)(MeOH)] (2) and [Ga(acac)(5Brsaph)(EtOH)] (3), respectively, in good yields. The crystal structures of 1 and 2 have been solved by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. All three complexes are mononuclear with the Ga^III atoms being surrounded by a dianionic tridentate Schiff base ligand, one bidentate acac⁻ ligand and a terminal alcohol molecule. Characteristic IR data are discussed in terms of the nature of bonding and the structures of the three complexes.     

Abläufe der Ammonolysen der Ammoniumhexafluorometallate des Aluminiums,Galliums und Indiums, (NH4)3MF6 (M = Al,Ga, In)

The Courses of the Ammonolyses of the Ammonium Hexafluorometalates of Aluminum, Gallium, and Indium, (NH₄)₃MF₆ (M = Al, Ga, In) The courses of the ammonolysis reactions of the ammonium hexafluorometalates (NH₄)₃MF₆ (M = Al, Ga, In) were investigated with the aid of in‐situ powder diffractometry and differential thermal analysis. Under these conditions, the reaction of (NH₄)₃AlF₆ with gaseous ammonia yields at about 360 °C AlF₃ via the intermediates NH₄AlF₄, Al(NH₃)₂F₃ and Al(NH₃)F₃. The ammonolysis of (NH₄)₃GaF₆ produces GaN at about 400 °C. Depending upon the actual reaction conditions, the intermediates NH₄GaF₄ and Ga(NH₃)F₃ as well as their ammonia adducts NH₄GaF₄ · NH₃ and Ga(NH₃)₂F₃ and the amide‐ammoniate Ga(NH₃)(NH₂)F₂ are observed. In the case of (NH₄)₃InF₆ the intermediates (NH₄)₃InF₆ · NH₃ and In(NH₃)F₃ may exist; there are also indications for the reduction of In(III) to In(I) and for the existence of In(NH₃)₂F and InF as products of the ammonolysis of (NH₄)₃InF₆.     

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.     

Phase Transformations in the Mn–Ga–O System Depending on the Preparation Conditions

Manganese-gallium samples with cation ratios Mn:Ga = 1:2, 1.5:1.5, and 2:1 are synthesized by coprecipitation with subsequent annealing in air in a temperature range 600–1200 °C. Powder XRD, TEM, and BET methods are used to study the physicochemical characteristics of the samples. It is found that in the air at the annealing temperature of 600 °C finely dispersed low-temperature Mn_3–xGa_xO₄ spinels primarily form in all series, but in the whole temperature range (600–1200 °C) the system is multiphase. Annealing at 800–1200 °C leads to an increase in the concentration of simple oxides (β-Mn₃O₄ and β-Ga₂O₃). Only simple α-Mn₂O₃ and β-Ga₂O₃ oxides exist in a Mn:Ga = 2:1 series at 800 °C. In the sample with a cation ratio Mn:Ga = 1.5:1.5 annealed in air at 1000 °C, the formation of a superstructure based on the spinel structure is found.     

Investigation of opto-dielectric properties of Ti-doped Ga2O3 thin films

Several Ti-incorporated Ga-oxide (Ga₂O₃) thin films with different amounts of Ti contents have been prepared by vacuum evaporation method on glass and silicon substrates. The Ti incorporation level was measured with energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) method. The crystalline structure of the prepared films was determined with X-ray diffraction method. Experimental data indicate that Ti⁴⁺ ions doped in host Ga₂O₃ form solid solutions (SS) even with so large Ti% content ∼10.4% wt. All the prepared solid solutions have the known orthorhombic (ɛ-phase) phase of Ga₂O₃. The doping controls the optical and electrical properties of the host Ga₂O₃. It was found that the bandgap of the prepared undoped Ga oxide is 5.23 eV, which was decreased monotonically with increasing of Ti doping level so that it is possible to engineer the bandgap. Furthermore, the electrical measurements show that with Ti doping, it is possible to turn the high-k Ga oxide into low-k dielectric material. The optical sensitivity of the capacitance, dissipation factor, and ac-conductance of the Ga₂O₃:Ti films grown on Si was studied as a function of Ti-doping level. It was observed that the prepared Ga₂O₃:Ti film with 6–10% doping level has the highest photosensitivity among the other samples.