Argentite–Acanthite Transition in Silver Sulfide as a Two-Sublattice Ordering

We propose a model of phase transformation cubic argentite–monoclinic acanthite in silver sulfide Ag2S (AgS0.5) as ordering in two argentite sublattices. We have determined the channel of the disorder–order transition including four nonequivalent superstructure vectors of stars {k9} and {k4}. For monoclinic acanthite α-Ag2S, we have calculated the distribution function for silver atoms occupying b positions in argentite, as well as the distribution function for sulfur atoms. Ordering in both sublattices is complicated by static atomic displacements. The displacement of S atoms distort the body-centered cubic (bcc) nonmetallic argentite sublattice, forming a monoclinic lattice in which silver atoms are at large distances from one another and occupy their crystallographic positions with unit probability. We have determined the range of admissible values of long-range order parameters η9 and η4 for the model monoclinic ordered α-Ag2S phase.     

Thermal expansion of nanocrystalline and coarse-crystalline silver sulfide Ag<Subscript>2</Subscript>S

In situ studies of the thermal expansion of polymorphic phases of coarse-crystalline and nanocrystalline silver sulfide, namely, monoclinic acanthite α-Ag₂S and cubic argentite β-Ag₂S, have been performed for the first time by high-temperature X-ray diffraction. The temperature dependences of the unit cell parameters of acanthite and argentite have been measured from temperatures in the range of 300–623 K, and the thermal expansion coefficients of acanthite and argentite have been determined. The observed difference between the thermal expansion coefficients of nano- and coarse-crystalline acanthite is shown to be due to a small size of nanocrystalline silver sulfide particles, which leads to an increase in the anharmonicity of atomic vibrations.     

Ag<Subscript>2</Subscript>S/Ag heteronanostructure

An Ag₂S/Ag heteronanostructure has been prepared for the first time by hydrochemical deposition. The “acanthite α-Ag₂S–argentite β-Ag₂S” phase transformation has been studied in situ by high-temperature X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The crystal structure of argentite has been revealed. It has been found that the concentration of vacant sites in the metal sublattice of argentite exceeds 92%. The reversible acanthite–argentite transformation in the Ag₂S/Ag heteronanostructure at the application of the external bias voltage is considered.     

Polymorphic transformation in nanocrystalline silver sulfide

The α-Ag₂S acanthite–β-Ag₂S argentite phase transformation in nanocrystalline silver sulfide has been studied in situ for the first time using high-temperature X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The formation of argentite has been proved by differential thermal analysis. The acanthite–argentite transformation occurs at a temperature of ～449–450 K, and its enthalpy is ～3.7–3.9 kJ mol^–1. The thermal expansion coefficients of acanthite and argentite have been estimated.     

Atomic Displacements in the α–β Phase Transition in Ag 2 S and in Ag 2 S/Ag Heterostructure

Orientation relationships between low-temperature monoclinic semiconductor α-Ag2S acanthite and high-temperature body-centered β-Ag2S argentite are determined. It is shown that, in cubic argentite, possible distances between silver atoms are too small for the sites of the metal sublattice to be occupied by Ag atoms with probability equal to one. With regard to the possible arrangement of Ag atoms, it is shown that, during the “acanthite–argentite” transformation, the jump of a silver ion from site (e) of monoclinic acanthite to site (j) of cubic argentite is the most probable process. It is established that the acanthite–argentite transformation in Ag2S/Ag heteronanostructure is accompanied by the formation of a conductive channel of silver Ag and β-Ag2S argentite under the application of an external voltage. The on-to-off-state current ratio in the synthesized Ag2S/Ag heteronanostructure is approximately equal to 670. For the Ag2S/Ag heteronanostructure, the energy barrier for the hopping of an Ag+ ion from an atomic site of monoclinic acanthite to a site of cubic argentite is estimated.     

Thermal expansion and the heat capacity of nanocrystalline and coarse-crystalline silver sulfide Ag2S

The thermal expansion and the heat capacity of coarse-crystalline and nanocrystalline silver sulfide Ag₂S were studied by dilatometry and differential scanning calorimentry for the first time in the temperature range 290–970 K. It is found that the thermal expansion coefficient and the heat capacity of nanocrystalline silver sulfide in this temperature range are higher than those in the case of the coarse-crystalline sulfide. It is revealed that the transformation of α-Ag₂S acanthite to β-Ag₂S argentite and β-Ag₂S argentite to γ-Ag₂S phase are the first-order phase transitions; the temperatures and the enthalpies of these transformations have been determined.

     

Phase Transition in Ag2S and the Relative Position of Atomic Planes of the α-Ag2S and β-Ag2S Phases

JETP Letters - The relative position of atomic planes of low-temperature monoclinic acanthite α-Ag2S and high-temperature bcc argentite β-Ag2S has been determined from X-ray and electron...     

Thermodynamics and defect structures of silver sulfide

Published measurements of sulfur vapor pressure and silver electromotive force were used to determine thermodynamic properties of silver sulfide above 379 K. They were Gibbs-Duhem integrated to estimate the formation properties of stoichiometric Ag₂S of fcc, bcc, and monoclinic crystal structures. Statistical thermodynamics was applied to estimate free energies and find possible atom arrangements in off-stoichiometric silver sulfide. Theoretical calculations show that silver vacancies and atoms may be in quasi-chemical equilibrium between tetrahedral and octahedral sites in the fcc structure and between two states of atoms within tetrahedral sites in the bcc structure and within octahedral sites in the monoclinic structure. A strong indication is that vacancy clusters should predominate, each containing four-atom vacancies in the fcc phase and three-atom vacancies in the bcc phase.     

Monoclinic superstructure V<Subscript>14</Subscript>O<Subscript>6</Subscript> of the tetragonal solid solution of oxygen in vanadium

The monoclinic (space group C2/m) superstructure of V₁₄O₆, which is formed in the atom-vacancy ordering of the tetragonal solid solution of oxygen in vanadium, is studied by the methods of x-ray diffraction and symmetry analysis. It has been found that the channel of the order-disorder phase transition attributed to the formation of the monoclinic suboxide V₁₄O₆ includes six superstructure vectors belonging to three non-Lifshitz stars {k ₁₋₁}, {k ₁₋₂}, and {k _1–3} of one type {k ₁}. The distribution function of the O atoms in the V₁₄O₆ monoclinic superstructure has been calculated. It has been shown that the displacements of V atoms distort the body-centered tetragonal metal sublattice, thus preparing the formation of the fcc sublattice and the transition from the suboxide V₁₄O₆ to the cubic vanadium monoxide with the B1 structure.     

Monoclinic superstructure V14O6 of the tetragonal solid solution of oxygen in vanadium

The monoclinic (space group C2/m) superstructure of V₁₄O₆, which is formed in the atom-vacancy ordering of the tetragonal solid solution of oxygen in vanadium, is studied by the methods of x-ray diffraction and symmetry analysis. It has been found that the channel of the order-disorder phase transition attributed to the formation of the monoclinic suboxide V₁₄O₆ includes six superstructure vectors belonging to three non-Lifshitz stars {k ₁₋₁}, {k ₁₋₂}, and {k _1–3} of one type {k ₁}. The distribution function of the O atoms in the V₁₄O₆ monoclinic superstructure has been calculated. It has been shown that the displacements of V atoms distort the body-centered tetragonal metal sublattice, thus preparing the formation of the fcc sublattice and the transition from the suboxide V₁₄O₆ to the cubic vanadium monoxide with the B1 structure. Original Russian Text ? A.I. Gusev, D.A. Davydov, 2007, published in Pis’ma v Zhurnal éksperimental’noĭ i Teoreticheskoĭ Fiziki, 2007, Vol. 86, No. 10, pp. 746–751.     

Effect of ordering on the structure and heat capacity of cubic vanadium carbonitrides VC<Subscript>x</Subscript>N<Subscript>y</Subscript>

Experimental results are presented on measurements of the crystal structure and heat capacity of nonstoichiometric cubic vanadium carbonitrides VC_xN_y (x + y = 0.85) in the region of disorder-order phase transitions. It is found that ordered phases V₆(C,N)₅□ and V₈(C,N)₇□ with the structures of the V₆C₅ and V₈C₇ types form in vanadium carbonitrides at a temperature of ～1100 K through the first-order phase transition mechanism. The channels of disorder-order transitions are determined. It is found that, in the nonmetal sublattice of the detected ordered phases, C and N atoms form one sublattice and structural vacancies □ form another sublattice. C and N atoms are randomly distributed in their sublattice.     

Atomic displacements in the V<Subscript>52</Subscript>O<Subscript>64</Subscript> superstructure and the short-range order in superstoichiometric cubic VO<Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">y</Emphasis></Subscript> vanadium monoxide with metal vacancies

Atomic displacements in the lattice of the tetragonal V₅₂O₆₄ superstructure have been experimentally determined. It has been found that atomic displacement waves, which are attributed to the formation of the short-range displacement order, appear in the vanadium and oxygen sublattices of this superstructure. It has been shown that the V₅₂O₆₄ superstructure is formed on the basis of disordered superstoichiometric cubic vanadium monoxide with the short-range order in the metallic sublattice. The character of the short-range order is such that vanadium atoms occupying tetrahedral positions are in the environment of four vacant sites of the vanadium sublattice. This means that the superstoichiometric VO_>1.0 vanadium monoxide has a cubic structure differing from the B1-type structure characteristic of most of the strongly nonstoichiometric cubic compounds MX _y (X = C, N, O) of transition metals.     

Anharmonic temperature factors up to sixth order and atomic potentials in the fast ionic conductor α-Ag3SI

The electron density of the fast ionic conductor α-Ag₃SI was investigated by single crystal X-ray data measured at 573 K. The silver ions in this bcc structure are distributed along bands parallel to 〈100〉. Symmetry-independent reflections could be refined to an R-value of 0.7% with partial occupancy of octahedral and tetrahedral sites. Anharmonic temperature factors up to the sixth order were applied to describe the smeared-out electron density. By means of the probability density functions calculated from these temperature factors the relevance of the refined parameters is discussed. From the experimentally determined atomic potentials an activation energy of 0.03 eV is estimated.     

Ordered monoclinic vanadium suboxide V<Subscript>14</Subscript>O<Subscript>6</Subscript>

The monoclinic (space group C2/m) superstructure of the suboxide V₁₄O₆, which is formed as a result of the atomic and vacancy ordering of the tetragonal solid solution of oxygen in vanadium, is investigated using X-ray diffraction and symmetry analysis. The monoclinic suboxide V₁₄O₆ is observed in the vanadium oxide samples VO_0.57, VO_0.81, and VO_0.86 synthesized at 1770 K and the samples VO _y (0.87 ≤ y ≤ 0.98) additionally annealed at 1470 K after the synthesis. It is established that the channel of the disorder-order phase transition associated with the formation of the monoclinic suboxide V₁₄O₆ includes six superstructure vectors belonging to three non-Lifshitz stars of one type {k ₁}. The distribution function of the oxygen atoms in the monoclinic superstructure of the suboxide V₁₄O₆ is calculated. It is demonstrated that the displacements of vanadium atoms distort the body-centered tetragonal metal sublattice, thus preparing the formation of the facecentered cubic sublattice and the transition from the suboxide V₁₄O₆ to the cubic vanadium monoxide with the B1 structure.     

Symmetry analysis of the monoclinic Pd<Subscript>6</Subscript>B superstructure: Long- and short-range orders

A symmetry analysis of the monoclinic (space group C2/c) Pd₆B superstructure formed in the cubic (with structure B1) boron solid solution PdB _y in palladium has been performed. The formation of this superstructure occurs as a first-order phase transition via the disorder-order transition channel including nine nonequivalent superstructure vectors of four stars {k ₁₀}, {k ₄}, {k ₃}, and {k ₀}. For the monoclinic (space group C2) Pd₆B superstructure, the distribution function of boron atoms has been calculated and the interval of admissible values of long-range order parameters has been determined. It has been shown that the found transition channel is identical to the channel of the formation of the monoclinic (space group C2/c) M ₆ X superstructure; therefore, the Pd₆B superstructure can be described with the same accuracy in space group C2. The higher symmetry of the monoclinic (space group C2/c) model suggests that it more accurately describes the structure of the phase Pd₆B (Pd₆B□₅) and mutually inverse phases M ₆ X□₅ and M ₆ X ₅□ than the model with space group C2. It has been demonstrated that there are two types of the nearest environment of metal atoms with non-metal sublattice sites arranged in the first and second coordination spheres in M ₆ X□₅-type superstructures (space groups C2/c, C2, C2/m, and P3₁) and in inverse M ₆ X ₅□-type superstructures with the same space groups.     

Correlation of sulfur atoms in nonmetal planes of lead sulfide films with the <Emphasis Type="Italic">D</Emphasis>0<Subscript>3</Subscript> structure

The distribution of sulfur atoms S and vacancies □ in planar square and hexagonal nonmetal sublattices formed by the 4(b) and 8(c) sites in PbS nanocrystalline films with the cubic D0₃ structure and latent stoichiometry has been investigated. It has been demonstrated using the computer simulation that, in S _y □_{1 − y} solid solutions with square and hexagonal lattices, the appearance of a correlation between the S atoms and □ vacancies in the first coordination shell leads to the appearance of correlations in the second and subsequent coordination shells. An increase in the radius of the coordination shell leads to a decrease in the magnitude of induced correlations, and the correlations completely decay in the ninth coordination shell. The functional dependence between the correlation in the first coordination shell and the induced correlations in the subsequent coordination shells has been established for different compositions of the S _y □_{1 − y} solid solution. The results of the simulation can be used to refine the crystal structure of nanocrystalline films and particles of lead sulfide.     

退火诱导亚稳态Fe80Cu20合金固溶体的结构相变

利用扩展x射线吸收精细结构和x射线衍射研究了机械合金化制备的体心立方(bcc)的亚稳态Fe₈₀Cu₂₀合金固溶体的结构随退火温度的变化特点.结果表明，在300—873 K温度范围内，随着退火温度的升高，bcc结构物相的晶格常数近于线性降低，这主要是由于Cu原子从bcc结构Fe₈₀Cu₂₀合金固溶体中逐渐偏析出来，生成面心立方(fcc)结构的Cu物相所致.经603K退火后，Cu原子的平均键长R_Cu—Cu增加了0.003 nm左右，大约有50%的Cu原子从bcc结构的Fe₈₀Cu₂₀合金固溶体中偏析出来.在773 K退火后，bcc结构Fe_８０Cu₂₀合金固溶体近于完全相分离，生成了bcc结构的α-Fe与fcc结构的Cu物相. 关键词： 扩展x射线吸收精细结构 x射线衍射 ８０Cu₂₀合金')" href="#">Fe_８０Cu₂₀合金 机械合金化     

Optical properties of α-Ag2 and β-Ag2S in the infrared and far-infrared

Reflectivity measurements in the far infrared and infrared (20–1500 cm^?1) of polycristalline β-Ag₂S at 4.2, 62 and 300K and of α-Ag₂S at 473K are presented. The observed phonon structure of β-Ag₂S is discussed. The reflectance of α-Ag₂S is high in the far infrared and shows a plasma edge near 1000 cm^?1. The optical constants of α-Ag₂S as calculated with a Kramers-Kronig analysis are compared with the predictions of the Drude theory.     

Neutron diffraction analysis of a defect vanadium monoxide close to the equiatomic vanadium monoxide

Neutron and X-ray diffraction analyses are applied to studying the defect structure of synthesis-temperature quenched and low-temperature annealed vanadium monoxides VO _y (0.90 ≤ y ≤ 0.97) close to the equiatomic monoxide VO_1.0. It is found that the monoxides VO_0.90 and VO_0.97 contain structural vacancies not only in the oxygen sublattice, but also in the metal sublattice. In addition to the cubic disordered phase VO _y with the structure B1, the monoclinic superstructure V₁₄O₆ with space group C2/m is present in the synthesized VO_0.90 sample and in the annealed VO_0.90 and VO_0.97 samples. The formation of the V₁₄O₆ superstructure is attributed to the ordering of oxygen atoms and nonmetal vacancies in the lattice of the tetragonal solid solution of oxygen in vanadium. No simultaneous ordering of metal and oxygen vacancies in two sublattices of the cubic vanadium is observed.     

Equilibrium surface segregation of dissolved nonmetal atoms on iron(100) faces

At elevated temperatures equilibria of surface segregation X (dissolved) = X (adsorbed) have been studied for the nonmetal atoms X = C, N and S. Iron single crystals with (100)orientation have been doped with different concentrations of solute atoms (in the range about 10–100 wt ppm). The samples were introduced into the UHV chamber, cleaned and then heated to temperatures in the α-solid solution range. The surface concentration of the segregated nonmetal atoms was observed by AES for different bulk concentrations in dependence of the temperature. The LEED pattern was also observed during segregation equilibrium at temperatures up to about 750° C. The LEED patterns indicate a c(2 × 2) structure for carbon and nitrogen as well as for sulfur. The temperature dependence of the surface concentration for carbon on Fe(100) can be described by a Langmuir-McLean equation, an average segregation enthalpy of ?85 kJ/mol°C is obtained. Since N₂ desorption occurs the nitrogen segregation is in virtual equilibrium only at temperatures <500°C. The equilibrium surface concentration of sulfur on α-iron is virtually independent of the solute concentration and the temperature: there is always a saturated layer of sulfur on the (100) faces, even at small bulk concentrations. Since the thermodynamic activity of the nonmetal atoms is well defined in the segregation studies (except nitrogen at higher temperatures) , the results can be correlated with studies in gas atmospheres at atmospheric pressure. The relations to the kinetics of the carburization and the nitrogenation of iron are discussed and the influence of sulfur on these reactions.