Hydrothermal synthesis of antimony oxychloride and oxide nanocrystals: Sb4O5Cl2, Sb8O11Cl2, and Sb2O3

We described herein a facile solution-phase route to three nanocrystals of antimony oxychlorides and oxides (Sb4O5Cl2, Sb8O11Cl2, and Sb2O3), whose morphologies and phases were varied with the pH value of a reaction mixture or composition of a mixed solvent. In particular, the solvent composition controlled the selective preparation of cubic Sb2O3 (senarmontite) and orthorhombic Sb2O3 (valentinite). Both cubic and orthorhombic Sb2O3 samples exhibited strong emission properties.