Zhen-Tao Yu

Construction of a microporous inorganic-organic hybrid compound with uranyl units.

A uranium-nickel-organic hybrid compound with micropores has been assembled from a hydrothermal system, and this compound exhibits photocatalytic activities for the degradation of methyl blue as a model pollutant.

Photoluminescent and photovoltaic properties observed in a zinc borate Zn2(OH)BO3

A chiral zinc borate Zn2(OH)BO3, which exhibits nonlinear optical, photoluminescent and photoelectronic properties, has been successfully prepared through a hydrothermal reaction. The structure of the compound has a ZnO matrix and the electronic structure of the compound can be regarded as that for ZnO modified by the presence of B atoms. The luminescence properties of Zn2(OH)BO3 were characterized by excitation and emission spectra. Photovoltage signals were observed for the as-synthesized compound and for samples calcined at various temperatures by surface photovoltage spectroscopy (SPS) and field-induced surface photovoltage spectroscopy (FISPS). The results show that Zn2(OH)BO3 has photoelectric transformation ability. Either thermal treatment or application of an external electric field enhances the photovoltage responses of the compound to a considerable extent.

Synthesis and X-ray crystal structures of two new alkaline-earth metal borates: SrBO2(OH) and Ba3B6O9(OH)6

Using hydrothermal techniques, two new compounds—strontium borate SrBO2(OH) and barium polyborate Ba3B6O9(OH)6—have been prepared. The structures of the title compounds were solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In the structure of SrBO2(OH), the Sr2+ ion is surrounded by eight oxygen atoms and the borate ion is identified as an individual [BO2(OH)]2− group. The structure of Ba3B6O9(OH)6 can be regarded as constructed from anionic borate chains, the negative charges of which are compensated for by the Ba2+ cations residing between the adjacent chains. The unusual feature of this compound can also be described in terms of infinite chains of B3O3 six-membered rings sharing B atoms, which are all tetrahedrally coordinated by oxygen atoms. The materials have also been characterized by infrared and energy dispersive spectroscopies, thermal analysis, and second harmonic generation powder measurement.

A uranium?zinc?organic molecular compound containing planar tetranuclear uranyl unitsElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Additional figures and tables of crystallographic data for 1. See http://www.rsc.org/suppdata/dt/b3/b309634c/

A molecular uranium–zinc–organic complex has been prepared by hydrothermal reaction; this compound consists of tetranuclear uranium units, zinc–organic components and mixed bridging organic ligands and exhibits photoluminescent and photovoltaic properties.