Chemochromism and Tunable Acoustic Phonons in Intercalated MoO3: Ag-, Bi-, In-, Mo-, Os-, Pd-, Pt-, Rh-, Ru-, Sb-, and W-MoO3

Intercalation of several elements (Ag, Bi, In, Mo, Os, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ru, Sb, and W) is used to chemically alter a wide range of properties of two-dimensional layered α-MoO₃. Intercalation modifies acoustic phonons and elastic constants, as measured with Brillouin scattering. Intercalation alters electronic bandgaps, color, structure, Raman shifts, and electron binding energies. Optical chemochromism is demonstrated with intercalants changing the color of MoO₃ from transparent to brilliant blue (In, Mo, Os, and Ru) and orange (Ag). Correlations are investigated among material properties. There is evidence that in-plane longitudinal stiffness c₁₁ correlates with changes in the bandgap, while various Raman modes appear to be connected to a variety of properties, including shear modulus c₅₅, Mo binding energies, lattice constants, and the preferred crystal structure of the intercalant. The results indicate a surprising degree of complexity, suggesting competition among multiple distinct mechanisms and interactions involving specific intercalant species.