Synthetic Cu0.507(5)Pb8.73(9)Sb8.15(8)I1.6S20.0(2) nanowires

Nanowires of an iodine containing Pb–Sb-sulfosalt have been synthesized by chemical vapor transport. Their structure was studied using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. The lattice parameters show values equal to a=4.9801(4) nm, b=0.41132(8) nm (with two-fold superstructure), c=2.1989(1) nm and β=99.918(6)°. These parameters and the results of a multislice simulation are in good agreement with the mineral pillaite, Cu0.10Pb9.16Sb9.84S22.94Cl1.06O0.5 (space group image, a=4.949(1) nm, b=0.41259(8) nm, c=2.1828(4) nm, and β=99.62(3)°). Microprobe and EDX analyses yielded a chemical composition of Cu0.507(5)Pb8.73(9)Sb8.15(8)I1.6S20.0(2) which is close to natural pillaite but contains no oxygen and iodine instead of chlorine. The structure of the investigated material is based on chains of M–S polyhedra (M=Pb or Sb) typical for the architecture of sulfosalts implying iodine atoms in trigonal prismatic coordination with Pb atoms from the M–S polyhedra of neighboring chains. The [010] superstructure of the specimen was found to be unstable under electron beam irradiation with a rapid decrease of the b lattice parameter from 0.8 to 0.4 nm within 5 min.