Ferrimagnetic spinels in hydrothermal and thermal treatment of MnxFe2−2x(OH)6−4x

Products of hydrothermal treatment of the initial amorphous system Mn_xFe_2–2x(OH)_6–4x for 0x1 in 0.1x intervals, and products of their further thermal treatment, were examined by chemical analysis, X-ray, IR, and DTA techniques supported by magnetic measurements. After hydrothermal growth for lowx, hematite and goethite phases occurred. Although the goethite phase was still identifiable atx=0.6, formation of a solid solution with the isostructural groutite was not found. The ferrimagnetic spinel phase, which resists heating up to 400C, was present at 0.5x0.9. At higher temperatures, it transformed into the rhombohedral hematite type phase or into the cubic bixbyite phase. AtT900C, a ferrimagnetic spinel structure reappeared up tox=0.8. For x=0.9, the low- and high-temperature forms of the hausmannite phase occurred, forx= 1 passing from one form into another through Mn₅O₈ and partritgeite.For a primary mixture Mn_0.5Fe(OH)₄, corresponding to the manganese ferrite structure, the lattice parameter of which passes from 8.43 å through 8.33 å to 8.50 å, the probable crystallochemical formula was suggested.We are grateful to KBN (The State Committee for Scientific Research, Poland) for grant No. 3 T09A 064 08, which contributed substantially to the materialization of this project.     

Synthesis and crystal structure of Mo6−x Nb x I11 (x = 1–1.5)

A solid solution Mo_{6 ? x} Nb _x I₁₁ (x = 1.1–1.5) containing cluster cores {Mo₅NbI₈} is obtained by the high-temperature reaction of molybdenum, niobium, and iodine (550°C, 70 h, quartz ampule). According to the X-ray diffraction data, heating at 800°C in a molybdenum container results in the decomposition of the solution to Mo₆I₁₂ and Nb₆I₁₁. According to the X-ray structure analysis data, the compounds are isostructural to the high-spin modification Nb₆I₁₁ (space group Pccn). The presence of Nb atoms in the structure changes the structural type from the layered (Mo₆I₁₂) to framework structure, noticeably increases the metalmetal distances (2.661–2.716 Å, 2.695 Å) Mo₆ octahedron with the retention of the distance from the metal (M) to the μ₃-“capped” I atoms, and strongly elongates the M₆-I-M₆ bridges almost to the value observed in Nb₆I₁₁.     

Electron doping versus antisite defects: Structural and magnetic properties of Sr2−xLaxCrMoO6 and Sr2−xLaxCr1+x/2Mo1−x/2O6 perovskites

This study reports the synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of Sr_2?xLa_xCrMoO₆ and Sr_2?xLa_xCr_1+x/2Mo_1?x/2O₆ samples. Although both series exhibit similar crystal structures, Sr_2?xLa_xCrMoO₆ samples present an effective electron doping revealed by a significant expansion of the unit cell with increasing x. In Sr_2?xLa_xCr_1+x/2Mo_1?x/2O₆ samples instead, the Cr-excess leads to a non electron doped system. Both series show a large amount of antisite defects whose number increases as La-content increases. Neutron diffraction patterns reveal the existence of long-range magnetic ordering for all samples but the magnetic peaks are very broad for Sr₂CrMoO₆ indicating a short coherence length of the magnetic ordering. This coherence length is increased upon replacing Sr by La. In both systems there is a clear increase of the magnetic transition temperature with increasing the La-content. The samples show ferromagnetic contributions at low temperature as deduced from the magnetic hysteresis loops typical of hard ferromagnetic materials. However, magnetic saturation is not achieved even at 5 T and the magnetic moment at this field is small. The ac magnetic susceptibility reveals the existence of several anomalies suggesting that these compounds are magnetically inhomogeneous. This is probably due to the presence of the large amount of structural defects not homogenously distributed.     

Electrical and electro-chemical characterisation of La0.99Fe1−x Ni x O3−δ perovskites

(LFN, 0<x<0.6) perovskites were synthesised by a solid-state route and were characterised by powder XRD, dilatometry, four-point DC conductivity measurements and electro-chemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) on cone-shaped electrodes using a Ce_1.9Gd_0.1O_1.95 (CGO10) electrolyte. All the compounds were of single phase, and they belong to either the cubic or the hexagonal crystal system. The thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) was in the range 10.7*10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ to 13.4*10⁻⁶ K⁻¹, which continued to increase with increasing nickel content. The highest electronic conductivity was measured for the composition giving a value of 670 S/cm at 380 °C. The highest electro-chemical performance was measured for the composition giving an area specific resistance as low as 5.5 Ωcm² at 600 °C based on EIS measurements on a cone-shaped electrode. Composite cathodes made from and CGO10 revealed a rather low performance due to an un-optimised micro-structure.

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Atoms state and interatomic interactions in perovskite-like oxides: XXXII. Formation of paramagnetic clusters in the La1−0.33x Ca0.33x Fe x Al1−x O3 and La1−0.33x Sr0.33x Fe x Al1−x O3 solid solutions

Calcium- and strontium-containing lanthanum orthoferrites have been studied using magnetic dilution method. It has been shown that the iron-atom clusters with competing ferro- and antiferromagnetic exchange interactions can exist. By using Mossbauer spectroscopy, Fe(IV) atoms have been found in the La_1?0.33x Ca_0.33x Fe_xAl_1?x O₃ solid solutions and Fe(III) atoms in two different surroundings have been found in the La_1?0.33x Sr_0.33x Fe _x Al_1?x O₃ solid solutions. The compositions of paramagnetic clusters stable at the infinite dilution have been proposed basing of the magnetic susceptibility and Mossbauer spectroscopy data.     

Multivariate analysis of melting points for homologous series C x H2x − 1NO (x = 3−6)

A multivariate analysis of the empirical structure data for isomeric homologues using principal-component analysis has been carried out, and the correlation with experimental melting points has been shown. Based on the data on the CSD structure, we discuss the impact of molecular H-aggregation.     

Electrocrystallization of PrO2 and TbO2−x from alkali hydroxide melts and characterization of the fluorite-related TbO2−x

Single crystals of PrO₂ and of the oxygen deficient fluorite related phase TbO_2−x have been obtained by anodic electrocrystallization from alkaline hydroxide melts containing PrCl₃ and TbCl₃, respectively. Magnetic measurements, X-ray diffraction data and TEM investigations confirm the identity of the products. PrO₂ crystallizes in a fluorite type of structure with a=5.3945(3) Å and shows paramagnetic behaviour with a magnetic moment as expected for Pr⁴⁺ (μ_eff=2.49μ_B, Θ=−109 K, T_N=10 K). According to precession photographs and an examination with an area sensitive X-ray detector, TbO_2−x exhibits a superstructure of fluorite with a pseudocubic subcell with a_f=5.2810(1) Å. This lattice constant is intermediate between those of TbO₂ and Tb₂O₃ (C-type), the same is true for its paramagnetic behaviour (μ_eff=8.58μ_B, Θ=−22 K, T_N=5 K). The supercell was found to be hexagonal with a=25.836(1) Å and c=36.672(2) Å, the symmetry of the intensity distribution being monoclinic. Electron diffraction revealed a cubic cell with a=10.6 Å, space group Ia-3, indicating reduction of the material in the electron beam.     

Electrochemical preparation and magnetic properties of submicron Co x Pb1−x dendrites

Magnetic dendrites of Co _x Pb_1−x were fabricated through potentiostatic electrochemical deposition on Cu substrates in boric acid solution at room temperature. The as-deposited dendrites were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electrodeposition (ED), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). SEM results indicate that the Co _x Pb_1−x dendrites are highly symmetrical in structures. The diameters of the branches are about 50 ~ 200 nm, and the backbones are continuous with lengths up to about 10 μm. XRD patterns show that the as-deposited dendrites are solid solutions. The annealing treatment can result in the recrystallization of these metastable alloys into two separate phases. TEM, ED, and EDS results also reveal that the backbones and the branches of the dendrites are composed of different amounts of cobalt. Magnetic measurements confirm that the as-deposited Co _x Pb_1−x dendrites have a softly ferromagnetic behavior, and a small coercive force (about 80 Oe). Also the saturation magnetizations of the Co _x Pb_1−x dendrites decrease rapidly with the temperature increasing.     

Synthesis and optical properties of quasi-2D CdS x Se1 − x nanoparticles

Colloidal 2D CdS _x Se_{1 ? x} nanoparticles have been synthesized by a solution method in octadecene using oleic acid as a stabilizer. Growth of quasi-2D nanoparticles has been promoted by the presence of cadmium acetate in the reaction mixture. The resulting nanoparticles are platelets with lateral sizes 20–30 nm. The absorption and luminescence spectra of these nanoparticles show narrow bands of lh-e and hh-e exciton transitions corresponding to 2D systems. The spectral position of the lowest energy hh-e transition monotonically changes within 382–461 nm with a change in the composition of nanoparticles. The observed absorption bands are broader than those for the individual CdSe and CdS nanoparticles. The suggested method makes it possible to vary the exciton band position for quasi-2D nanoparticles by changing their composition.     

Weakly bound oxygen and its role in stability of solid solutions La1−x Sr x FeO3−δ

In the present study high-temperature X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, and mass-spectrometry have been employed for investigation of samples in the La_1?x Sr _x FeO_3?δ family (0 ≤ x ≤ 1), the materials being solid solutions having perovskite structure. It has been shown that the loss of oxygen by the samples on heating to 1200°C in air (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) or in vacuum (x < 0.75) does not result in structural rearrangement of the solid solutions, but causes an increase in the lattice parameters. Heating of the compositions with x ≥ 0.75 in vacuum affords phases with ordered vacancies. The observed structural evolutions (growth of the unit cell parameter and vacancy ordering) are reversible, and on re-oxidation (on cooling in air or additional heating of the “vacuum” samples in air atmosphere) the original parameters of the oxides are recovered. The amount of oxygen evolved on heating increases in vacuum or in helium atmosphere, as compared to air, and also grows with rising strontium content, but under experimental conditions does not reach the maximum possible value (δ = x/2).     

Adhesive and electrical properties of the interface between Pb1 − x Mn x Te Crystals and In-Ag-Au alloy

The effect of annealing of Pb_{1 ? x} Mn _x Te crystals at ～690 K and structures on their basis at ～383 K on the adhesive and electric properties of the interface in the Pb_{1 ? x} Mn _x Te-(In-Ag-Au) structure was studied over the temperature range ～77–300 K. The contacts possessed high adhesive strength. The effect of annealing on contact resistance r _c was determined by a change in the specific resistance of crystals, diffusion of Ag atoms into the near-contact area of crystals, and the formation of intermediate phases of the Ag₂Te type at the interface.     

Reduction potential and oxidation catalysis of vanadium-containing H6+x P2Mo18−x V x O62 Wells-Dawson heteropolyacid (HPA) catalysts

Vanadium-containing H_6+x P₂Mo_18?x V _x O₆₂ (x=0?3) Wells-Dawson heteropolyacid (HPA) catalysts were prepared. The successful formation of the Wells-Dawson HPAs was confirmed by FT-IR and ICP-AES analyses. The reduction potential of the H_6+x P₂Mo_18?x V _x O₆₂ (x=0?3) catalysts was determined by temperature-programmed reduction measurements. The Wells-Dawson HPA catalysts were applied to the vapor-phase oxidation of methacrolein and benzyl alcohol. The reduction potential, conversion of methacrolein, and conversion of benzyl alcohol showed volcano-shaped curves with respect to vanadium substitution, and decreased in the order of H₈P₂Mo₁₆V₂O₆₂>H₇P₂Mo₁₇V₁O₆₂>H₉P₂Mo₁₅V₃O₆₂>H₆P₂Mo₁₈O₆₂. A correlation between reduction potential and catalytic activity clearly showed that the conversion was monotonically increased with increasing reduction potential of the HPA catalyst in both oxidation reactions.     

Isomerization of B6, B6 − and B6 + clusters

The interconversions between isomers with the same spin multiplicity of neutral B₆ and charged B₆ ^? and B₆ ⁺ clusters have been investigated at the B3LYP/6-311+G* level of theory, including determination of the minimum energy pathways with transition states connecting the corresponding reactants and products. In dynamic calculations, 26 isomers were optimized, including 11 novel isomers. In order to further refine the energies, single-point B3LYP/6-311+G(3df) calculations were carried out on the corresponding B3LYP/6-311+G* geometries of all isomers of B₆, B₆ ^? and B₆ ⁺ and the corresponding isomerization transition states. The stability of each isomer of B₆ (singlet and triplet states), B₆ ^? (doublet state) and B₆ ⁺ (doublet state) was analyzed from both thermodynamic and dynamic viewpoints.     

Electronic Structure and Molecular Properties of the Mixed Rhenium–Molybdenum [Re6−x Mo x S8(CN)6]q−, (x = 0 to 6) Clusters

Relativistic density functional calculations including scalar and spin-orbit effects via the ZORA approximation and including solvent effects were carried out on the [Re₆S₈(CN)₆]⁴⁻, [Re₅MoS₈(CN)₆]⁵⁻, [Re₄Mo₂S₈(CN)₆]⁵⁻, [Re₃Mo₃S₈(CN)₆]⁵⁻, [Re₂Mo₄S₈(CN)₆]⁵⁻, [ReMo₅S₈(CN)₆]⁵⁻ and [Mo₆S₈(CN)₆]⁶⁻ clusters. By increasing the replacement of each Re atom with Mo atoms we find that for x > 2 the HOMO–LUMO gap decreases significantly. The calculated gap of the [Re₃Mo₃S₈(CN)₆]⁵⁻, [Re₂Mo₄S₈(CN)₆]⁵⁻ and [ReMo₅S₈(CN)₆]⁵⁻ clusters is similar to the calculated and observed gap of the superconducting PbMo₆S₈ Chevrel phases. The current calculations also indicates that the electronic similarities of the lowest excited states of the semiconducting 24e [Re₅MoS₈(CN)₆]⁵⁻ and 23e [Re₄Mo₂S₈(CN)₆]⁵⁻ clusters with the strongly luminescent 24e [Re₆S₈(CN)₆]⁴⁻ cluster, suggest that these mixed metal clusters might be luminescent.     

Solid potassium-conducting electrolytes in the K2 − 2x Ga2 − x V x O4 system

New potassium-conducting solid electrolytes based on potassium monogallate in the K_2?2x Ga_2?x V _x O₄ system are synthesized and studied. It is found that an introduction of V⁵⁺ ions leads to a considerable increase in the KGaO₂ conductivity due to the formation of vacancies in the potassium sublattice. The conductivity for optimal compositions is approximately 10^?3 S cm^?1 at 400°C and above 10^?2 S cm^?1 at 700°C. The results are compared with early obtained data for potassium monogallate dopped with four-charged cations.     

Electroconductivity and nature of ion transfer in La1 − x Sr x Sc1 − y Mg y O3 − α system (0.01 ≤ x = y ≤ 0.20) in dry and humid air

The conductivity and ion and proton transfer numbers were measured in La_{1 ? x} Sr _x Sc_{1 ? y} Mg _y O_{3 ? α} system (x = y = 0.10–0.20). The partial conductivities (total ion, proton, oxygen, hole) and their effective activation energies were calculated. The measurements were carried out in air with respect to humidity (pH₂O = 0.04?2.65 kPa) within the temperature range from 630 to 920°C.     

BaTi1−x SnxO3 Solid Solutions: Solid-Phase and Sol-Gel Syntheses and Characterization

Ba(Ti_1?x Sn_x)O₃ solid solutions were synthesized by the sol-gel process and solid-phase reactions, and their electrophysical properties studied. SnCl₄ · 5H₂O, TiCl₄, and BaCO₃ were precursors in the sol-gel process. IR spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and differential thermal analysis were used to study the formation conditions for BaTiO₃, BaSnO₃, and BaTi_0.85Sn_0.15O₃.     

A study for structure and inter-diffusion coefficient of liquid K1− x Cs x metal alloys

Inter-diffusion coefficients of liquid K_{1? x} Cs _x metal alloys are calculated using scaling law proposed by Samanta et al. [A. Samanta, Sk.M. Ali, and S.K. Ghosh, Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 245901 (2001)] following Dzugutov [M. Dzugutov, Nature 381, 137 (1996)], which express the possible relationship between the excess entropy and diffusion coefficient. The interatomic interactions are described from the individual version of the electron–ion potential proposed by Fiolhais et al. [C. Fiolhais, J.P. Perdew, S.Q. Armster, J.M. McLaren, and M. Brajczewska, Phys. Rev. B 51, 14001 (1995)]. The partial pair distribution functions and structure factors are calculated from the solution of Ornstein–Zernike integral equation with Rogers–Young closure. The evaluations with the composition of static structure and the inter-diffusion properties are discussed.     

Synthesis and electrochemical properties of nanosized carbon-coated Li1−3x La x FePO4 composites

Nanosized carbon-coated Li_1−3x La _x FePO₄ composites were synthesized using a fast, easy, microwave assisted, room-temperature, solid-state method. A lanthanum precursor was used to improve the electronic conductivity of LiFePO₄. The particle structure of the as-synthesized samples was observed using transmission electron microscopy. The results indicated that a uniform and continuous carbon layer was formed on the surface of Li_1−3x La _x FePO₄ particles. Electrochemical techniques, such as cyclic voltammetry, charge/discharge test, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were used to investigate the electrochemical performance of the samples. The results of electrochemical measurements revealed that the carbon coating and lanthanum doping provided an initial discharge capacity of 145 mA h/g with excellent rate capacity and long cycling stability. These advantages, coupled with the low cost, the high thermal stability, and the environmental friendliness of the raw materials, render Li_1−3x La _x FePO₄/C composites attractive for practical and large-scale applications.     

Hydrogen content in proton-conducting perovskites CaZr1 − x Sc x O3 − x /2 (x = 0.0–0.2)

The hydrogen content in CaZr_{1 ? x} Sc _x O_{3 ? x/2} (x = 0.00–0.20) and BaZr_0.9Y_0.1O_3-α (for comparison) was studied by powder nuclear microanalysis. The samples were saturated with heavy water (D₂O) vapors at 350 and 400°C in air. The chemical expansion of the CaZr_0.95Sc_0.05O_3-α and BaZr_0.95Y_0.05O_3-α samples at 700°C was measured at different water vapor pressures. A model was suggested to explain the lowered hydrogen content in oxides based on CaZrO₃.