MAIN GROUP METAL CHEMISTRY, vol.39, pp.59-66, 2016 (SCI-Expanded)
In this study, Zn3B6O12 center dot 3.5H(2)O, a type of a zinc borate hydrate, was synthesized from the sodium borate mineral Na2B4O7 center dot 5H(2)O. Two different zinc sources, i.e. ZnSO4 center dot 7H(2)O and ZnCl2, were used in the hydrothermal synthesis. Products were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Raman spectroscopy. Product morphologies were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Then optical absorption characteristics and electrical properties were investigated. Based on these results, Zn3B6O12 center dot 3.5H(2)O was obtained under many synthetic conditions as a single phase with high reaction efficiencies and sub-micrometer ( 100 nm to 1 mu m) particle sizes. The electrical resistivity and optical energy gap were found as 8.8x10(10) Omega cm and 4.13 eV, respectively. The novelty obtained in this study is the synthesis of zinc borate hydrate compound with high crystallinity without using any modification agent or organic solvent.