NAGOYA,
Japan, July 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Although
perovskites have attracted a lot of attention lately,
anti-perovskites hold just as much potential as functional
materials. Bearing a similar crystal structure to perovskites but
with an inverted electrical configuration, anti-perovskites exhibit
peculiar properties that could be exploited, including negative
thermal expansion, ionic conductivity, and even superconductivity.
Unfortunately, thus far, synthesizing nanosized anti-perovskites
has proven difficult.
In a recent study published online in the Journal of
Materials Chemistry A on December 28,
2023, a research team led by Professor Yuji Iwamoto from Nagoya Institute of
Technology, Japan, tackled the
current challenges plaguing the synthesis of nitride-based
anti-perovskites. They demonstrated a convenient synthesis
technique to produce a nanocomposite material consisting of
amorphous silicon nitride (a-SiN) ceramic with embedded
nanometer-sized Ni3InN anti-perovskite crystals. Their
work was co-authored by Dr. Shotaro
Tada and Professor Ravi Kumar
from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras),
India, and Dr. Samuel Bernard from the University of Limoges,
France.
The proposed synthesis method can be classified as a
'Polymer-Derived Ceramics' (PDCs) route. First, polysilazane—used
as a silicon nitride precursor—is chemically modified to include
NiCl2 and InCl3 molecules. Then, through
pyrolysis in an ammonia (NH3) atmosphere at a relatively
low temperature of 300 °C, the modified precursor is transformed
into the a-SiN matrix with embedded anti-perovskites in a single
step. "While our research team has previously developed a
synthesis route for transition metal/a-SiN
nanocomposites using polysilazanes modified with transition metal
chlorides, this recent study presents a novel approach adopting
multiple metal species, resulting in the in situ growth of
Ni3InN intermetallic nanoparticles within an amorphous
matrix," highlights Prof. Iwamoto.
This bottom-up synthesis strategy has several strengths. First,
the resulting nanocomposite material is highly microporous and
contains abundant interfaces between Ni3InN and the
a-SiN matrix. Thus, it enables the modification of the electronic
structure of the surfaces of the anti-perovskite nanoparticles
formed in situ. Additionally, as a single-step
low-temperature method, it provides a straightforward route to
obtain complex, highly functional materials.
The researchers also showcased, as a proof of concept, the
ability of the a-SiN/Ni3InN composite to adsorb and
desorb CO2, which could be key to activating and
transforming small molecules into value-added compounds for clean
energy applications. "This type of nanocomposite, with its
diverse multi-metal composition, exhibits promising potential for
heterogeneous catalyst design. By providing structural diversity
and modifiability, it could facilitate the discovery of new
catalytic functionalities," concludes Dr. Bernard.
Reference
Title of original paper: An in
situ growth route towards anti-perovskite
Ni3InN nanoparticles embedded within amorphous silicon
nitride
Journal: Journal of Materials Chemistry A
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1039/D3TA06212K
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SOURCE Nagoya Institute of Technology