Thin films and bulk properties of the inorganic electride Cs@MFI

INOR 426

Andrew S. Ichimura, ichimura@sfsu.edu1, Wanda Lew, wanda.lew@gmail.com2, and Georgi Diankov, gdiankov@yahoo.com1. (1) Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francsico, CA 94132, (2) Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Box 351700, Seattle, WA 98195-1700
Zeolites prepared as thin films or membranes have potential applications as size-selective sensors for small molecules, electrode coatings, and as low-k dielectric materials. Our aim is to study the electrical and electro-optic properties of alkali metal doped silica zeolites, M@SZ, also known as inorganic electrides. As bulk powders, M@SZ are prepared by the gas phase addition of Na-Cs to a silica zeolite. One of the defining characteristics of M@SZ is a broad NIR band suggestive of electron delocalization. To grow thin (0.1-2.0 micron) MFI films, quartz, ITO, or suitably modified gold substrates are placed into hydrothermal synthesis solutions. The result is a MFI film that grows preferentially with the b-axis normal to the substrate surface. Once the SDA has been removed, doping with alkali metal under inert atmosphere yields the thin film inorganic electride. The properties of Cs@MFI prepared as thin films and bulk powders will be discussed.