Investigation of the products of oxidation of lead selenide by IR spectroscopy

The optical properties of lead selenide powders are investigated by Fourier-transform IR spectroscopy at room temperature, as well as at temperatures of 500 and 550°C. The diffuse reflection spectra of the initial and heated powders of the PbSe compound are measured. It is revealed for the first time that the surface of the initial and heated samples of the PbSe compound contains a layer of amorphous biselenite Pb(HSeO3)2 · n H2O. This makes it possible to explain the previously observed local minimum at temperatures close to 100°C in the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity of the powders.