Synthesis of β-phase Ag1−xCuxI (x = 0–0.5) solid solutions nanocrystals

A series of single β-phase nano-Ag1−xCuxI (x = 0–0.5) solid solutions powders were synthesized by wet-chemical–chelating reaction processing and citric acid used as complexing agent. The Ag1−xCuxI powders were determined by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. It was demonstrated that the crystalline size and lattice parameter of the Ag1−xCuxI powders decrease with an increase in the amount of CuI substitution. The copper in the lattice of the Ag1−xCuxI can effectively prevent the crystalline growth of the Ag1−xCuxI powders and citrate used in the Ag1−xCuxI powders synthesized process can accelerate single β-phase crystalline structure formation.