The synthesis of high-entropy metal carbide powders is critical for implementing their extensive applications. However, the one-step synthesis of high-entropy metal carbide powders is rarely studied. Herein, the synthesis possibility of high-entropy metal carbide powders, namely (Zr 0.25 Ta 0.25 Nb 0.25 Ti 0.25 )C (ZTNTC), via one-step carbothermal reduction was first investigated theoretically by analyzing chemical thermodynamics and lattice size difference based on the first-principle calculations, and then the ZTNTC powders with particle size of 0.5-2 μm were successfully synthesized experimentally. The as-synthesized powders not only had a single rock-salt crystal structure of metal carbides, but also possessed high-compositional uniformity from nanoscale to microscale. More interestingly, they exhibited the distinguished coral-like morphology with the hexagonal step surface, whose growth was governed by a classical screw dislocation growth mechanism.
Lei Wang,Shuai Zhang,Long Yan,Xiaohong Ji,Qinyuan Zhang
The electronic and optical properties of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides can be tuned by a doping strategy. Herein, spiral and monolayer Er-doped WS2 (WE) flakes have been synthesized by chemical vapor deposition using ErCl3, WO3, and S as precursors. The growth and properties of WE flakes have been systematically studied based on experimental and theoretical analysis. The morphology, size, and thickness of WE flakes can be regulated by adjusting the molar ratio of ErCl3/WO3 and the growth time. It has been found that the ErCl3 precursor not only acts as the promoter of the WE flakes during the growth but also drives the formation of screw dislocations owing to the internal strain in the lattice induced by Er3+ doping. The WE flakes exhibit near-infrared (NIR) emission at ∼1530 nm under 980 nm excitation, which corresponds to the energy transition from 4I13/2 to 4I15/2 of the Er3+ dopants. In addition, the WE-based device exhibits improved NIR photoresponse with a 16.9-fold enhancement in photocurrent compared with that of the WS2-based device. Our work provides a simple method for the preparation of highly crystalline WE flakes with NIR emission and enhanced NIR photoresponse.