An Experimental and Theoretical Study of the Optical Properties of (C2H7N4O)2BiCl5 for an Optoelectronic Application

• Published in: Inorganics 2022-04, Vol.10 (4), p.48
• Main Authors: Ferjani, Hela, Ben Smida, Youssef, Onwudiwe, Damian C., Elamin, Nuha Y., Ezzine, Safa, Almotlaq, Norah S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: band structure; BFDH simulation; Cations; Charge transfer; Chlorine; chlorobismuthate(III); Conduction bands; Crystal structure; Crystallinity; Density functional theory; Electrical properties; Electronic properties; Emission analysis; Energy gap; Fourier analysis; Fourier transforms; GGA-PBE; Hirshfield surface analysis; Hydrogen bonding; Hydrogen bonds; Infrared spectroscopy; Morphology; Optical properties; Optoelectronics; Photoluminescence; Photons; Single crystals; Spectroscopic analysis; spectroscopic studies; Structural stability; Surface analysis (chemical); Valence band; Vibration mode
• ISSN: 2304-6740; 2304-6740
• DOI: 10.3390/inorganics10040048

This study explores the electronic properties of (C2H7N4O)2BiCl5 using the density functional theory (DFT) method, which was compared with the experimental data. The band structure of the compound indicated that it is a direct semiconductor with a band gap energy of 3.54 eV, which was comparable with the value (3.20 eV) obtained experimentally from the UV–vis spectroscopy. The density of state study showed that the conduction band was formed mainly by Bi 6p, C 2p, and N 2p states, while the valence band was formed mainly by Cl 2p, O 2p, and N 2p states. Hirshfeld surface analysis and enrichment ratio (E) were further used to investigate and quantify the intermolecular interactions within the compound. These studies established that the most important role in the stability of the structure of this crystalline material was provided by hydrogen bonding and π–π stacking interactions. The crystalline morphology of the compound was determined using BFDH simulation, based on the single-crystal structure result. Furthermore, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to study the vibrational modes of carbamoyl-ganidinium cations. The charge transfer process within the anionic chains of [BiCl5]∝, studied using photoluminescence spectroscopy, resulted in a broad emission band with two positions of maxima centered at 336 and 358 nm. This work offers a good understanding of the optical, structural, as well as the electrical properties of (C2H7N4O)2BiCl5, which are necessary in its applications in areas such as multifunctional magnetic, optoelectronic, and photonic systems.