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.