Sulfideoxidehydroxide

Sulfideoxidehydroxide is a term used to describe solid phases that incorporate sulfide (S2-), oxide (O2-), and hydroxide (OH-) groups within a single crystalline framework. In this usage, the composition often takes the form of a mixed-anion material with a general formula that can be written as MxSyOz(OH)w, where the exact ratio of sulfide, oxide, and hydroxide constituents is variable and charge-balanced by the accompanying cations.

The structure of sulfideoxidehydroxide compounds typically features a combination of sulfide-rich domains and oxide or hydroxide-rich regions. This can lead to layered or intergrown architectures in which cations occupy interstitial sites to maintain overall electrostatic balance. The presence of multiple anions allows for flexible bonding environments and supportive redox chemistry, making these materials diverse in their local coordination and electronic structure.

Occurrence and formation of sulfideoxidehydroxide phases occur in both natural and synthetic contexts. In nature, they may arise under hydrothermal or weathering conditions where sulfide and oxide/hydroxide phases interact. In the laboratory, researchers synthesize these materials to explore the effects of mixed anions on properties such as conductivity, magnetism, and catalytic activity. The exact stability range depends on composition, temperature, pressure, and the redox environment.

Properties and potential applications are active areas of study. The mixed-anion character enables tunable electronic structure and chemical reactivity, making sulfideoxidehydroxides of interest for catalysis, energy storage, and sensing. Ongoing research seeks to establish design principles for targeted compositions and to understand structure–property relationships in these complex materials.