Solvothermal synthesis

Solvothermal synthesis is a method of producing chemical compounds, in which a solvent containing reagents is put under high pressure and temperature in an autoclave.

Solvothermal synthesis is very similar to the hydrothermal route; both are typically conducted in a stainless steel autoclave.

[1] Solvothermal synthesis has been used prepare MOFs,[2][3] titanium dioxide,[4] and graphene,[5] carbon spheres,[6] chalcogenides[7] and other materials.

Besides water (hydrothermal synthesis), solvothermal syntheses make use of a large range of solvents, including ammonia, carbon dioxide, dimethylformamide, and various alcohols such as methanol, or glycols such as hexane-1,6-diol.

Although its dielectric constant is lower than that of water, ammonia behaves as a polar solvent especially at high pressures.