Structurally Characterized Erbium Alkoxides for Use as an Amphoteric Dopant in PErZT Ceramic Thin Film and Nanoparticles

Abstract

Abstract A family of erbium alkoxides [Er(OR) 3 ] was prepared from the reaction of Er[N(SiMe 3 ) 2 ] 3 with a series of alcohols (HOR) in selected solvents and crystallographically characterized as: [Er(μ‐Onep) 2 (Onep)] 4 , ( 1 ), [Er 4 (μ 4 ‐O)(μ 3 ‐Onep)(μ‐Onep) 5 (Onep) 4 (py) 3 ] ( 3 ), Er 3 (μ 3 ‐O t Bu) 2 (μ‐O t Bu) 3 (O t Bu) 4 (HO t Bu) 2 ( 4 ), Er 3 (μ 3 ‐O)(μ‐O t Bu) 4 (O t Bu) 3 (py) 3 ( 7 ), Er(dmp) 3 (solv) 3 [solv = thf ( 9 ), py ( 10 )], [Er(η‐dip)(dip) 2 ] 2 ( 11 ), Er(dip) 3 (thf) 2 ( 12 ), [Er(μ‐OH)(dbp) 2 (thf)] 2 ( 15 ), Er(dbp) 3 (py) 2 ( 16 ), [Er(μ‐tps)(tps) 2 ] 2 ( 17 ), Er(tps) 3 (solv) 3 [solv = thf ( 18 ) and (py) ( 19 )] where Onep = neopentoxide (OCH 2 CMe 3 ), O t Bu = tert ‐butoxide (OCMe 3 ), dmp = 2,6‐dimethylphenoxide [OC 6 H 3 (Me) 2 ‐2,6], dip = 2,6‐diisopropylphenoxide [OC 6 H 3 (CHMe 2 ) 2 ‐2,6], dbp = 2,6‐di‐ tert ‐butylphenoxide [OC 6 H 3 (CMe 3 ) 2 ‐2,6], tps = triphenylsiloxide [OSi(C 6 H 5 ) 3 ], tol = toluene, thf = tetrahydrofuran, and py = pyridine. The structures observed and data collected for the Er family of compounds are, in general, consistent with those reported previously for the Dy congeners over the range of solvated mono‐, di‐, tri‐, and tetranuclear species. Representative members of the Er(OR) 3 precursors were used for the production of a PErZT precursor solution, which was subsequently used to generate thin films and nanoparticles. Further, these select Er precursors were used to generate Er 2 O 3 nanoparticles. The full characterization of this family of compounds is reported along with the results of the materials investigations.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)