Delicately Tailoring Morphology of Silver Phosphate Crystals with High-Gravity

Tailoring the morphology and regulating the microstructure of semiconductors are crucial for optimizing their physicochemical properties. However, precise control over these characteristics of semiconductors during nucleation and growth remains challenging. Here, it isdemonstrated that nucleation and crystal growth processes of semiconductors can be meticulously modulated by adjusting the applied external force by high-gravity. Using Ag₃PO₄ as a model, it is found that the high-gravity accelerates crystallization and drives its distinct morphology transformation from cubes to icosahedra and tetrakaidecahedra with enhanced mass transfer, micro-mixing, and the applied force at individual nucleation sites. Notably, high-gravity conditions are beneficial for thermodynamically disfavored {110} and {111} facets of Ag₃PO₄ formation. Meanwhile, the microstructure of Ag₃PO₄ can be altered under the high-gravity environment, manifesting bond length and cell volumes. More importantly, the final Ag₃PO₄ crystals with controlled morphology and microstructure by high-gravity can be used as active materials in photocatalysis. This work supplied a methodology for morphology tailoring and microstructure regulation of semiconductors at the microscale.