Liberation of pnicogen chains from Cu(2)P(1.8)As(1.2)I(2): synthesis and characterization of a new allotrope of P--As

Buddhimathie Jayasekera; Kanchana Somaskandan; Stephanie L Brock

doi:10.1021/ic0490223

Liberation of pnicogen chains from Cu(2)P(1.8)As(1.2)I(2): synthesis and characterization of a new allotrope of P--As

Inorg Chem. 2004 Nov 1;43(22):6902-4. doi: 10.1021/ic0490223.

Authors

Buddhimathie Jayasekera¹, Kanchana Somaskandan, Stephanie L Brock

Affiliation

¹ Department of Chemistry, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA.

PMID: 15500328
DOI: 10.1021/ic0490223

Abstract

Removal of CuI from Cu(2)P(1.8)As(1.2)I(2) results in a novel P--As allotrope. Although the product is X-ray amorphous, lattice fringes are observed in the transmission electron micrographs with spacings reflecting the diameter of the linear pnicogen polymer in Cu(2)P(1.8)As(1.2)I(2), suggesting the pnicogen chains remain intact upon loss of CuI. The straight needles present in Cu(2)P(1.8)As(1.2)I(2) appear to be kinked in the P--As phase due to lattice mismatch between the liberated polymers, ultrasonic treatment, or a combination of these effects. This new P--As modification is semiconducting with a band gap of 1.05 eV.