A molecular cross-linking approach for hybrid metal oxides

• Published in: Nature materials Vol. 17; no. 4; pp. 341 - 348
• Main Authors: Jung, Dahee, Saleh, Liban M. A., Berkson, Zachariah J., El-Kady, Maher F., Hwang, Jee Youn, Mohamed, Nahla, Wixtrom, Alex I., Titarenko, Ekaterina, Shao, Yanwu, McCarthy, Kassandra, Guo, Jian, Martini, Ignacio B., Kraemer, Stephan, Wegener, Evan C., Saint-Cricq, Philippe, Ruehle, Bastian, Langeslay, Ryan R., Delferro, Massimiliano, Brosmer, Jonathan L., Hendon, Christopher H., Gallagher-Jones, Marcus, Rodriguez, Jose, Chapman, Karena W., Miller, Jeffrey T., Duan, Xiangfeng, Kaner, Richard B., Zink, Jeffrey I., Chmelka, Bradley F., Spokoyny, Alexander M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.04.2018; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 119/118; 140/131; 140/133; 140/146; 639/301/1023/1025; 639/301/299/890; 639/301/357/404; 639/301/357/551; Biomaterials; Boron; Boron oxides; Chemistry and Materials Science; Clusters; Condensed Matter Physics; Crosslinking; Electrochemical analysis; Electrochemistry; Hybridization; INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; Materials Science; Metal oxides; Metals; Molecular biology; Nanotechnology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Oxidation; Oxides; Titanium dioxide
• ISSN: 1476-1122; 1476-4660
• DOI: 10.1038/s41563-018-0021-9

There is significant interest in the development of methods to create hybrid materials that transform capabilities, in particular for Earth-abundant metal oxides, such as TiO 2 , to give improved or new properties relevant to a broad spectrum of applications. Here we introduce an approach we refer to as ‘molecular cross-linking’, whereby a hybrid molecular boron oxide material is formed from polyhedral boron-cluster precursors of the type [B 12 (OH) 12 ] 2– . This new approach is enabled by the inherent robustness of the boron-cluster molecular building block, which is compatible with the harsh thermal and oxidizing conditions that are necessary for the synthesis of many metal oxides. In this work, using a battery of experimental techniques and materials simulation, we show how this material can be interfaced successfully with TiO 2 and other metal oxides to give boron-rich hybrid materials with intriguing photophysical and electrochemical properties. TiO 2 and other metal oxides were interfaced with molecular boron clusters to form a hybrid material. This modifies the electrochemical and photocatalytic properties, enabling fast electron transfer and dye degradation under red light.