Chemisorption-Driven Roughening of Hydrothermally Grown KTa1–xNbxO3 Nanoparticles

Journal Article · Thu Apr 09 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Journal of Physical Chemistry. C

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.9b12023· OSTI ID:1756166

Ly, Tiffany; Wen, Jianguo; Marks, Laurence D.

The chemical and physical properties of nanoparticle surfaces have significant effects on their growth processes and the resulting morphology. Hydrothermally grown KNbO3, KTaO3, and KTa1–xNbxO3 were studied to examine the complex relationships between surface composition, phase, chemistry, and energetics and how these may be used to model and thereby control nanoparticle growth mechanisms. Two different composition-dependent growth modes were identified, where one type formed smooth surface facets, while the other resulted in roughened nanoparticle morphologies. Electron microscopy characterization, density functional theory calculations, and mathematical growth models were used to illuminate the role of surface properties and chemisorption on the nanoparticle growth morphology. Surface energy reduction by chemisorption can increase the rate of terrace nucleation, driving the roughening of these lower energy nanoparticle surfaces.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: National Science Foundation (NSF); Argonne National Laboratory - Center for Nanoscale Materials
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 1756166
• Journal Information: Journal of Physical Chemistry. C, Vol. 124, Issue 14
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English