Pressure-Induced Oriented Attachment Growth of Large-Size Crystals for Constructing 3D Ordered Superstructures

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Crystallography

Background:

• Oriented attachment (OA) is a nonclassical crystal growth mechanism for ordered superstructures with charge transmission properties.
• Achieving 3D OA growth of large crystallites (submicrometer) remains a significant challenge in nanomaterial synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the synthesis of 3D ordered SnO2 superstructures using OA.
• To investigate the role of high pressure in facilitating large-sized crystal growth and 3D assembly.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a self-limited assembly process assisted by OA in a designed high-pressure solvothermal system.
• Employed submicrometer (200-250 nm) tin dioxide building blocks.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized 3D ordered SnO2 superstructures with significantly larger primary building blocks (200-250 nm) compared to previous methods (<10 nm).
• Demonstrated that high pressure is crucial for forming the 3D configuration and promoting the fusion of adjacent crystals.
• Showcased the high-pressure strategy's applicability to other materials.

Conclusions:

• Developed a novel high-pressure solvothermal method for synthesizing large-sized 3D ordered SnO2 superstructures via oriented attachment.
• The welded structures hold promise for applications in optical responses, lithium-ion batteries, solar cells, and chemical sensing.
• The demonstrated high-pressure strategy offers a scalable approach for fabricating advanced nanomaterials.