Synthesis and characterization of alkylammonium/Bi2212 nanohybrids

Single-phase nanohybrids of Bi2Sr2CaCuO8+d (Bi2212) with alkylammonium salts have been synthesized for the first time by a stepwise intercalation method. To increase the gallery height between the Bi-0 layers of Bi2212 crystal, intercalated precursor was prepared by the chemical vapor transport technique with Bi2212 and HgBr2 in a sealed quartz ampoule. Then, n-dodecyl trimetylammonium bromide (DTA:Br) or n-hexadecyl trimethylammonium bromide (HTA:Br) was intercalated into HgBr2/Bi2212 via ion exchange method. Nanohybrids were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). There was no trace of the pristine phase in XRD patterns for all nanohybrids, indicating that DTA or HTA ion is incorporated homogeneously into each Bi2212 layer It is found that the gallery height of Bi2212 host is expanded from 3.08 run to 8.22 run (?c = 5.14 nm) in HTA/Bi2212 nanohybrid. HTA/Bi2212 nanohybrid was exfoliated into single layers in acetone. A transparent colloid is found to be stable for 5 days after ultrasonication.