Compressibility Studies of Copper Selenides Obtained by Cation Exchange Reaction Revealing the New CsCl Phase

Abstract

In this study, we conducted a high-pressure investigation of Cu 2−x Se nanostructures with pyramid-and plate-like morphologies, created through cation exchange from zinc-blende CdSe nanocrystals and wurtzite CdSe nanoplatelets respectively. Using a diamond anvil cell setup at the APS synchrotron, we observed the phase transitions in the Cu 2−x Se nanostructures up to 40 GPa, identifying a novel CsCl-type lattice with Pm3̅ m symmetry above 4 GPa. This CsCl-type structure, previously unreported in copper selenides, was partially retained after decompression. Our results indicate that the initial crystalline structure of CdSe does not affect the stability of Cu 2−x Se nanostructures formed via cation exchange. Both morphologies of Cu 2−x Se sintered under compression, potentially contributing to the stabilization of the high-pressure phase through interfacial defects. These findings are significant for discovering new phases with potential applications in future technologies.