Soft Chemical Approaches to the Synthesis of Metastable Materials
Abstract
The development of a rational, targeted approach to synthesizing metastable materials is agrand challenge of synthesis. Over the past century, the thermodynamic phase diagrams havebeen theoretically mapped and experimentally explored. Progressing to a new generation ofmaterials necessitates expanding our synthetic landscape to metastable materials, or kineticproducts. Indeed, creating metastable materials is a dominant in contemporary solid-stateresearch. Over the past several decades metastable materials were isolated: from solution phaseroutes i.e. flux-based synthesis; aggressive conditions i.e. high-pressure synthesis; soft chemicalapproaches i.e. metathesis. Each of these routes led to successful creation of novel kineticphases. Yet, designing a specific synthetic route to a target compound remains a seeminglyinsurmountable challenge. Within molecular chemistry, databases of known reactions exist,enabling simple modification synthetic procedures and rational synthesis of designed targetmolecules. Within metastable materials in the solid-state, devoid of the guidance provided bythermodynamic phase diagrams, exploration is inherently blind. Understanding which syntheticroutes will lead to a given product is a tremendous undertaking, and herein, we propose a smallinitial step towards that vital grand challenge. We begin with a simple question: can a given localminimum on a potential energy surface be accessed through two separate synthetic approaches?To address that question, we will target compounds accessed one synthetic approach via analternate approach and determine what factors govern the formation of the phases. Specifically,we propose creating novel metastable phases by high-pressure synthesis then elucidating themeans by which solution phase chemistry can generate such compounds at ambient pressure.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 28, 2017
- Source ID
- FA95501710247
Entities
People
- Danna E. Freedman
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Northwestern University
- United States Air Force