Synthesis and characterization of microstructures of Sb2O3

In this work, we synthesized microstructures of antimony oxide by carbothermal reduction process associated with the vapor-solid (VS) mechanism. The samples were characterized by Field Effect Gun Scanning Electron Microscopy (FEG-SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Raman Spectroscopy. FEG-SEM images show that the structures collected in the hottest zone of growth (540-600°C) are mainly composed by belts with branched morphology while in the cooler zone of growth (420-480°C) crystals with dendritic structure and Diffraction data showed that these samples were grown in the cubic phase and orthorhombic phase of Sb2O3, respectively. The diffractogram presented evidence that the microstructures of Sb2O3 are single crystals with crystalline quality and with preferential growth orientation. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the crystalline quality of the samples and also that samples grow in different phases of antimony trioxide, cubic and orthorhombic. Raman measurements showed a break in the selection rules for the orthorhombic phase of Sb2O3 (branched belts). This effect is probably associated with intrinsic defects in the structure of the belts such as oxygen vacancies.