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Straightforward High‐Pressure Synthesis and Characterization of Indium‐Based Thiospinels: Photocatalytic Potential for Hydrogen Production
Author(s) -
Falcón Horacio,
Tartaj Pedro,
Vaquero Fernando,
Navarro Rufino M.,
Fierro Jose Luis G.,
Bolletta Juan P.,
de Paoli Juan M.,
Carbonio Raul E.,
FernándezDíaz Maria Teresa,
Alonso Jose Antonio
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
european journal of inorganic chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1099-0682
pISSN - 1434-1948
DOI - 10.1002/ejic.201501390
Subject(s) - chemistry , ternary operation , spinel , photocatalysis , indium , hydrogen production , high pressure , neutron diffraction , hydrogen , band gap , inorganic chemistry , crystallography , crystal structure , optoelectronics , thermodynamics , catalysis , metallurgy , materials science , organic chemistry , physics , computer science , programming language
Ternary chalcogenides (AB 2 X 4 ) based on the spinel structure are gaining a great deal of attention because of the possibility of tuning their magnetic and optoelectronic properties not only by changing chemical composition but also by altering their degree of inversion. Here we report a rapid high‐pressure synthetic method for the synthesis of MIn 2 S 4 powders starting from commercially available solid sulfides. We prove the versatility of our method by reporting the synthesis of six members of the MIn 2 S 4 family (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, and Cd) under high‐pressure conditions (3.5 GPa); these compounds show complete to moderate degrees of inversion. Furthermore, this family covers a spectral region that includes visible band gaps. Interestingly, the structural refinement carried out by X‐ray and neutron diffraction allows one to establish positive correlations between the gap and different parameters, including the degree of inversion. Finally, as a proof‐of‐concept, these ternary chalcogenides show moderate photocatalytic hydrogen production from aqueous solutions.