Course outline
Solid State Chemistry An overview of the synthesis and
CHEM 6182 applications of inorganic materials
Structure and compound identification in
A. P. Wilkinson the solid state
School of Chemistry and Biochemistry Electrical and ionic conductivity
Georgia Institute of Technology Zeolites as selective catalysts, sorbents and
Atlanta, Ga 30332-0400 ion exchangers
Objectives Why Solid State Chemistry?
To provide an introduction to the concepts Many aspects of modern life are dependent
underlying solid state chemistry upon the availability of functional solids
To illustrate the wide range of materials and Chemists are in a strong position to contribute
physical properties that currently available to their syntheses
– However, the chemist needs to be able to
understand what they are trying to make and why
Properties of interest Optical properties
Optical Non-linear optical materials play an
– Non-linear optics, lasers, phosphors etc.. important role in data transmission and
Electrical storage
– Conductivity and response to stimuli – LiNbO3, KTiOPO4,KH2PO4
Magnetic
Laser materials
– Data storage, electromechanical devices
– semiconductors and laser host crystals
Structural
Catalytic Phosphors
Etc. – for displays and imaging
1
NLO Materials and Second
Harmonic Generation Semiconductor blue lasers
NLO materials can be used
to double the frequency of
laser radiation
- Useful as short wavelength
lasers can be difficult to
make
Short wavelength radiation
better for information
storage and transmission
Color centers Electrical properties
Exposure to radiation can induce defects Useful electrical properties include
– superconductivity
– Useful for imaging
– semiconductors
– Useful for dating – ceramic metals for electrodes
– response to stimuli e.g. heat and pressure
– dielectric properties
– ionic conductivity for electrochemical cells
– conversion of heat or light to electrical power
Interesting properties include
KBr KCl NaCl – low dimensional behavior
K2[Pt(CN)4]Br0.3.3H2O viewed
K2[Pt(CN)4]Br0.3.3H2O with transmitted polarized light
Is a one dimensional metal
– has a high conductivity in one direction only
– when viewed under polarized light it looks
metallic for one polarization and transparent for
another
– why ?
2
K2[Pt(CN)4]Br0.3.3H2O viewed with The packing of Pt(CN)4 units in
polarized reflected light K2[Pt(CN)4]Br0.3.3H2O
From Peters et al. Inorg. Chem. 15, 782 (1976).
Superconductors Levitating a magnet over YBCO
Many materials are superconducting
– however, until 1986 all superconductors had
critical temperatures < 30 K
Superconductors find application in magnet
construction
High Tc superconductors are just starting to
be used
– initially in MRI and cell phone base stations
The structure of YBa2Cu3O7 Superconducting detector for MRI
3
Semiconductors Ionic conductivity
Methods such as Chemical Vapor Solids that are capable of conducting ions
Deposition are of great importance in the are used in the fabrication of
semiconductor industry electrochemical cells
Chemists play a vital role in the – oxygen sensors in automobiles
development of compounds that can be – electrolytes in fuel cells
used in CVD – electrolytes in high energy density batteries
Magnetic materials Ferrofluids
Data storage
Transformers and motors
Data read out
– state of the art disk drives employ Magneto
Resistive materials in the drive heads
Shaft seals
– ferrofluids can be confined in the area to be
sealed using magnetic fields
Ferroelectric materials Shape selective catalysts
Crystals can have electric dipole moments just like Zeolites offer a way of carrying out
molecules chemistry in very confined spaces
If the direction of the dipole moment can be flipped by
The type of chemistry that can be done is
an applied field the material is said to be ferroelectric
determined by the pore sizes that can be
made
– entirely reliant upon a chemists skills
Great industrial importance
– gasoline cracking
4
Ion exchangers Zeolite A
Zeolites and related solids can be used as
convenient ion exchangers
Zeolite A is used as a water softener in all
powder laundry detergents in the U.S.
Zeolites are used for radioactive waste
clean up
Zeolite L and Offretite Inorganic materials synthesis
Very different from molecular synthesis
– Usually can not purify solid product
– Synthetic techniques are different
» high temperature preps
» ion exchange reactions
» intercalation / insertion processes
» vapor transport
» sol-gel
» Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)