Chemical approach to a new crystal structure: phase control of manganese oxide on a carbon sphere template

The stabilization and growth of a non-native structure, hexagonal wurtzite MnO (h-MnO), is explored via kinetic control of manganese precursor on a carbon sphere template. MnO is most stable in the cubic rock-salt structure (c-MnO), and a number of studies have focused on the synthesis and properties of this rock-salt phase. However, h-MnO has not been fully characterized before our work. Prolonged heating at a relatively low temperature yields c-MnO, whereas rapid heating of the reaction mixture at reflux produces h-MnO in the presence of carbon spheres. The effect of benzyl amine concentration on the formation of two different oxidation states (c-MnO and t-Mn3O4) was examined as well. Moreover, the structural stability of the manganese oxides and phase transition of MnO in terms of the wurtzite to rock-salt structural transformation have been investigated.