
“High-Pressure Phase Transitions of Morphologically Distinct Zn2SnO4 Nanostructures”
- AuthorsP.P. Das, P.S. Devi, D.A. Blom, T. Vogt, Y. Lee* 
- JournalACS Omega 
 Vol.4, pp.10539-10547, 2019.06
- DOI
Abstract
Many aspects of nanostructured materials at high pressures are still unexplored. We present here, high-pressure structural behavior of two Zn2SnO4 nanomaterials with inverse spinel type, one a particle with size of ∼7 nm [zero dimensional (0-D)] and the other with a chain-like [one dimensional (1-D)] morphology. We performed in situ micro-Raman and synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements and observed that the cation disordering of the 0-D nanoparticle is preserved up to ∼40 GPa, suppressing the reported martensitic phase transformation. On the other hand, an irreversible phase transition is observed from the 1-D nanomaterial into a new and dense high-pressure orthorhombic CaFe2O4-type structure at ∼40 GPa. The pressure-treated 0-D and 1-D nanomaterials have distinct diffuse reflectance and emission properties. In particular, a heterojunction between the inverse spinel and quenchable orthorhombic phases allows the use of 1-D Zn2SnO4 nanomaterials as efficient photocatalysts as shown by the degradation of the textile pollutant methylene blue.
 
    
             
    
            
 
                

 
															 
									 
								 
				 
				 
				 
				 
	
