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Structural Origin of Semiconductor Optical Size Effect through In2O3 Nanocubes and Use in Photocatalytic
Xin-Ru Lin1, Kuo-Chang Chien1, Bo-Hao Chen1,2
1Department of Chemistry, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 300044, Taiwan.
Inorganic Chemistry
|May 28, 2026
Summary
Indium oxide (In2O3) nanocubes exhibit size-dependent structural and optical properties. Lattice variations, influenced by size and temperature, alter In2O3
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Solid State Chemistry
Background:
- Indium oxide (In2O3) is a semiconductor with tunable properties.
- Nanomaterials often exhibit unique characteristics compared to their bulk counterparts.
- Understanding structure-property relationships in nanomaterials is crucial for advanced applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize In2O3 nanocubes of varying sizes.
- To investigate the structural and optical properties of these nanocubes.
- To explore the impact of lattice variations on material color and photocatalytic activity.
Main Methods:
- Solvothermal synthesis of In2O3 nanocubes (10, 72, 95 nm).
- Synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) for structural analysis.
- High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) with Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) processing.
- Optical spectroscopy to determine band gaps.
- Photocatalysis experiments.
Main Results:
- Synthesized In2O3 nanocubes with distinct sizes.
- Observed size-dependent lattice differences between bulk and surface layers.
- HR-TEM and FFT revealed surface lattice deviations in larger nanocubes.
- A size-dependent optical effect was identified, with band gaps differing by 0.13 eV.
- Heating induced color changes due to lattice distortion and cell constant variations.
- In2O3 nanocubes demonstrated photocatalytic activity in benzothiazole synthesis.
Conclusions:
- Lattice variations in In2O3 nanocubes are size-dependent and affect optical properties.
- Both intrinsic (size) and extrinsic (thermal) factors influence lattice structure and color.
- Structural modifications are the basis for observed optical size effects and color changes.
- In2O3 nanocubes show potential as photocatalysts.
