New Publication in Sci. Adv.

We are pleased to announce that our latest research paper has been accepted for publication in Sci. Adv.. Here, we propose a feasible principle toward synthesizing complex inorganic solids. This principle involves the introduction of an inducer that induces crucial intermediates, which in turn guide the synthesis pathway toward the target materials through structural templating, named inducer-facilitated assembly through structural templating (i-FAST). We validate this principle with three distinct oxides: garnet Li_6.5La₃Zr_1.5Ta_0.5O₁₂, perovskite BaCo_0.8Sn_0.2O₃, and pyrochlore Gd_1.5La_0.5Zr₂O₇. This structural templating approach enables synthesis along predesigned pathways, forming intermediates that are thermodynamically favored for prior formation and kinetically preferred for the final product, resulting in precisely synthesizing high-purity target materials. This study not only represents a substantial advancement in comprehending the interplay between thermodynamics/kinetics and phase evolution in complex solid synthesis but also provides an effective strategy for guiding exploratory solid-state synthesis.