Sonication-Assisted Synthesis of Gallium Oxide Suspensions Featuring Trap State Absorption: Test of Photochemistry

Abstract

Gallium is a near room temperature liquid metal with extraordinary properties that partly originate from the self-limiting oxide layer formed on its surface. Taking advantage of the surface gallium oxide (Ga2O3), this work introduces a novel technique to synthesize gallium oxide nanoflakes at high yield by harvesting the self-limiting native surface oxide of gallium. The synthesis process follows a facile two-step method comprising liquid gallium metal sonication in DI water and subsequent annealing. In order to explore the functionalities of the product, the obtained hexagonal α-Ga2O3 nanoflakes are used as a photocatalytic material to decompose organic model dyes. Excellent photocatalytic ..