Ba3(PO4)2 Photocatalyst for Efficient Photocatalytic Application.

Barium phosphate (Ba3(PO4)2) is a class of material that has attracted significant attention thanks to its chemical stability and versatility. However, the use of Ba3(PO4)2 as a photocatalyst is scarcely reported, and its use as a photocatalyst has yet to be reported. Herein, Ba3(PO4)2 nanoflakes synthesis is optimized using sol-gel and hydrothermal methods. The as-prepared Ba3(PO4)2 powders are investigated using physicochemical characterizations, including XRD, SEM, EDX, FTIR, DRS, J-t, LSV, Mott-Schottky, and EIS. In addition, DFT calculations are performed to investigate the band structure. The oxidation capability of the photocatalysts is investigated depending on the synthesis method using rhodamine B (RhB) as a pollutant model. Both Ba3(PO4)2 samples prepared by the sol-gel and hydrothermal methods display high RhB photodegradation of 79% and 68%, respectively. The Ba3(PO4)2 obtained using the sol-gel process exhibits much higher stability under light excitation after four regeneration cycles. The photocatalytic oxidation mechanism is proposed based on the active species trapping experiments where O2 •‒ is the most reactive species. The finding shows the promising potential of Ba3(PO4)2 photocatalysts and opens the door for further investigation and application in various photocatalytic applications.

Crystal structure of barium dinickel(II) iron(III) tris-[orthophosphate(V)], BaNi2Fe(PO4)3.

The orthophosphate BaNi2Fe(PO4)3 has been synthesized by a solid-state reaction route and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The crystal structure comprises (100) sheets made up of [Ni2O10] dimers that are linked to two PO4 tetra-hedra via common edges and vertices and of linear infinite [010] chains of corner-sharing [FeO6] octa-hedra and [PO4] tetra-hedra. The linkage of the sheets and chains into a framework is accomplished through common vertices of PO4 tetra-hedra and [FeO6] octa-hedra. The framework is perforated by channels in which positionally disordered Ba2+ cations are located.

Synthesis and crystal structure of NaCuIn(PO4)2.

Single crystals of sodium copper(II) indium bis-[phosphate(V)], NaCuIn(PO4)2, were grown from the melt under atmospheric conditions. The title phosphate crystallizes in the space group P21/n and is isotypic with KCuFe(PO4)2. In the crystal, two [CuO5] trigonal bipyramids share an edge to form a dimer [Cu2O8] that is connected to two PO4 tetra-hedra. The obtained [Cu2P2O12] units are inter-connected through vertices to form sheets that are sandwiched between undulating layers resulting from the junction of PO4 tetra-hedra and [InO6] octa-hedra. The two types of layers are alternately stacked along [101] and are joined into a three-dimensional framework through vertex- and edge-sharing, leaving channels parallel to the stacking direction. The channels host the sodium cations that are surrounded by four oxygen atoms in form of a distorted disphenoid.

Crystal structure of silver strontium copper orthophosphate, AgSr4Cu4.5(PO4)6.

Crystals of the new compound, AgSr4Cu4.5(PO4)6, were grown successfully by the hydro-thermal process. The asymmetric unit of the crystal structure of the title compound contains 40 independent atoms (4 Sr, 4.5 Cu, 1 Ag, 6 P and 24 O), which are all in general positions except for one Cu atom, which is located on an inversion centre. The Cu atoms are arranged in CuO n (n = 4 or 5) polyhedra, linked through common oxygen corners to build a rigid three-dimensional motif. The connection of these copper units is assured by PO4 tetra-hedra. This arrangement allows the construction of layers extending parallel to the (100) plane and hosts suitable cavities in which Ag+ and Sr2+ cations are located. The crystal-structure cohesion is ensured by ionic bonds between the silver and strontium cations and the oxygen anions belonging to two adjacent sheets. Charge-distribution analysis and bond-valence-sum calculations were used to validate the structural model.

Crystal structure of (Na0.70)(Na0.70,Mn0.30)(Fe(3+),Fe(2+))2Fe(2+)(VO4)3, a sodium-, iron- and manganese-based vanadate with the alluaudite-type structure.

The title compound, sodium (sodium,manganese) triiron(II,III) tris[vana-date(V)], (Na0.70)(Na0.70,Mn0.30)(Fe(3+),Fe(2+))2Fe(2+)(VO4)3, was prepared by solid-state reactions. It crystallizes in an alluaudite-like structure, characterized by a partial cationic disorder. In the structure, four of the 12 sites in the asymmetric unit are located on special positions, three on a twofold rotation axis (Wyckoff position 4e) and one on an inversion centre (4b). Two sites on the twofold rotation axis are entirely filled by Fe(2+) and V(5+), whereas the third site has a partial occupancy of 70% by Na(+). The site on the inversion centre is occupied by Na(+) and Mn(2+) cations in a 0.7:0.3 ratio. The remaining Fe(2+) and Fe(3+) atoms are statistically distributed on a general position. The three-dimensional framework of this structure is made up of kinked chains of edge-sharing [FeO6] octa-hedra stacked parallel to [10-1]. These chains are held together by VO4 tetra-hedral groups, forming polyhedral sheets perpendicular to [010]. Within this framework, two types of channels extending along [001] are present. One is occupied by (Na(+)/Mn(2+)) while the second is partially occupied by Na(+). The mixed site containing (Na(+)/Mn(2+)) has an octa-hedral coordination sphere, while the Na(+) cations in the second channel are coordinated by eight O atoms.