By introducing the units that easily produce the second-order Jahn-Teller effect, the compound can be effectively obtained with asymmetric structure. This strategy has been widely used to synthesize new nonlinear optical materials.
However, Metal iodate is usually synthesized under mild acidic condition, but niobium is very stable in the same conditions. Therefore, it remains a challenge to synthesize niobium-containing metal iodate in this field.
In a recent study published in Angew. Chem. In. Ed., the research group led by Prof. WU Xintao from Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter (FJIRSM) of Chinese Academy of Sciences designed and synthesized a novel niobium oxyiodate sulfate Nb2O3(IO3)2(SO4) as potential nonlinear optical crystal.
By analyzing the property of Nb, researchers found an interesting niobium oxysulfate reaction. They then successfully synthesized Nb2O3(IO3)2(SO4) crystal through a rational design based on the aforementioned reaction.
This design used SO42-unit to make a bridge between Nb and iodate, which synthesized a novel mixed-anion compound.
Nb2O3(IO3)2(SO4) crystal has good physical and chemical stability (stable up to 580 °C in an air atmosphere and stable in water and even stable in concentrated H2SO4), a large phase-matching second-harmonic generation (SHG) response (6*KDP), wide transparency window (0.38–8 μm) and high laser damage threshold (LDT) (20*AgGaS2). Thus, Nb2O3(IO3)2(SO4) is considered as potential nonlinear optic crystal in Vis-NIR spectrums.
This study not only synthesized iodate including Nb through rational design, but also solved the problem that sulfates are soluble in water and deliquescent easily.
Nb2O3(IO3)2(SO4) with strong second-harmonic generation response fabricated by rational multi-component design (Image by Prof. WU’s group)
Contact:
Prof. WU Xintao
Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Email: xtwu@fjirsm.ac.cn
