Gallium(I) oxide
# Gallium(I) oxide

Gallium(I) oxide, digallium monoxide or gallium suboxide is an inorganic compound with the formula $Ga_2O.$

## Production

Gallium(I) oxide can be produced by reacting gallium(III) oxide with heated gallium in vacuum:

    $\mathrm {Ga_{2}O_{3}+4\ Ga\longrightarrow 3\ Ga_{2}O}$

It can also be obtained by reacting gallium with carbon dioxide in vacuum at 850 °C.

    $\mathrm {2\ Ga+CO_{2}\longrightarrow Ga_{2}O+CO}$

Gallium(I) oxide is a by-product in the production of gallium arsenide wafers:

    $\mathrm {4\ Ga+SiO_{2}\longrightarrow 2\ Ga_{2}O+Si}$

## Properties

Gallium(I) oxide is a brown-black diamagnetic solid which is resistant to further oxidation in dry air. It starts decomposing upon heating at temperatures above 500 °C, and the decomposition rate depends on the atmosphere (vacuum, inert gas, air).

