Facile one-pot synthesis of high-purity crystalline Cu4O(SeO3)3: Structural insights and characterization

Abstract

The facile one-pot synthesis of high-purity crystalline copper selenite of Cu₄O(SeO₃)₃ with the 3D inorganic framework of hexadeca-copper units is presented. The one-step preparation avoided multiphase product and energy-intensive post-processing. The detailed structural analysis reveals the unusually rich coordination environments with the coordination numbers varying from 4 to 6 corresponding to the copper centers, and the routine magnetic study on the crystalline compound indicates that Cu₄O(SeO₃)₃ exhibits a complex ferrimagnetic behavior with the magnetic coupling below 70 K. The prepared material has also been characterized by powder XRD, IR & Raman spectroscopy, SEM-EDS, UV–vis absorbance spectrum, and TG analyses.