Study of the optically diffused reflectance and thermal-microstructure for the phase transformation of AgNO3

Optical, microstructural, and thermal properties of the investigated silver nitrate samples were characterized by various techniques, such as X-ray analysis, scanning electron microscopy, UV–Vis–NIR absorption and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The presence of structural phase transition [orthorhombic structure (phase II) to rhombohedral structure (phase I)] was checked by DSC and X-ray analysis measurements. The thermal energy required for such transformation is found to be 11.6 J/g. The optical band gaps of AgNO₃ are 1.4 and 2.02 eV for phase II and phase I, respectively, at the low-energy region. But at high-energy region, the optical band gaps are 3.41 and 3.43 eV for phase II and phase I, respectively. Characteristic peaks for AgNO₃ corresponding to (2 1 1), (0 0 4) and (3 5 1) for phase II and (0 0 4), (3 1 1) and (0 2 4) for phase I have been observed. The average crystalline size for AgNO₃ samples and the values of dislocation density δ and the strain ε for the planes of two phases II and I are calculated and also the texture coefficient is determined. Such information can considerably aid in understanding the process of phase transformations in AgNO₃.     

Ferroelectricity associated with the metastable phase “III” of AgNO3

The dielectric constant, dc resistance, D-E ferroelectric hysteresis loop and dilatometric analysis of the three phases I, II, and III of AgNO₃ single crystals has been studied over the temperature range 100–200° C. A ferroelectric behaviour of the metastable phase III was detected here for the first time similar to what happened in KNO₃. The ferroelectric is attributed here to Ag⁺-ion vacancy formation in the unit cell of AgNO₃. The energy activating the process of vacancy formation was found to beE _v=2.6 eV. It was found that an ionic shift from one lattice point to another requires an amount of energy to overcome a potential barrierE _m=0.1 eV. A model is suggested to explain such behaviour. Dilatometric analysis indicated that this metastable phase transition III is accompanied by an expansion of the unit cell.     

X-ray diffraction,differential scanning calorimetric and spectroscopic studies of phase transitions in the bidimensional compound (C12H25NH3)2CdCl4

The existence of three main crystalline phases (called III, II and I) in (C₁₂H₂₅NH₃)₂CdCl₄ has been revealed by differential scanning calorimetry. X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic studies. The crystal- lographic evolution with increasing temperature appears to be monoclinic (III) → orthorhombic (II) → tetragonal (I). The low temperature phase III is the only ordered structure. The phase transition (III-II), which is of first order type, corresponds to an order-disorder mechanism involving the organic part of the structure (alkylammonium chains) whereas the phase transition (II-I), which is of second-order type, is related to the arrangement of the mineral matrix (octahedra of perovskite layers). An intermediate disordered form II', stable in a very narrow temperature range and structurally similar to the form II, has also been observed, so that the transformation (III-II) proceeds, in fact, in two steps (III-II'-II). The variation enthalpies observed at the transitions (III-II'-II) and analyzed through an order-disorder mechanism demonstrate the high disorder of the alkylammonium chains in form II, in agreement with spectroscopic results. No thermal anomaly or spectroscopic modification is observed for the high temperature transition (II-I).     

Electrical and Thermal Properties of NH4BrxCI1-x Single Crystal

The effect of partial replacement of Cl^? ions by Br^? ions in the mixed system of ammonium chloride and ammonium bromide during a set of thermal heating cycles is studied. The study includes electrical measurements (d.c. resistivity, dielectric constant and the spontaneous thermal current), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and dilatometric thermal analysis in the temperature range ?60 °C up to 30°C. The results show a large change in the various measured parameters sensitive to thermal agitation process and to the presence of the bromine ions in the mixed crystal system close to the morphotropic boundary x = 0.5. At this boundary the temperature region of the ordered phase extended by about 28°C. The transformation enthalpy was reduced in such case to 41.3 cal/mol. According to the different experimental data of the system NH₄Br_xCl_1-x, a phase diagram was proposed. This phase diagram predicted that the order-disorder phase transition point changed widely according to the value of x and reached ?2°C when the mixed crystal system contained 50% of Br^? ions.     

Magnetic and martensitic transitions in Ni-Fe-Ga alloy

The ferromagnetic shape memory alloy with nominal composition Ni₅₄Fe₁₉Ga₂₇ is investigated by Ac susceptibility and resistivity measurements. The alloy shows long-range ferromagnetic order below 290 K. The anomaly due to the martensitic transition is observed in the susceptibility and resistivity data in the temperature range around 220 K, which is associated with clear thermal hysteresis. Minor hysteresis loop technique was used to investigate the phase coexistence across the martensitic transition, and our analysis indicate that both martensite and austenite phases mutually coexist in the region of hysteresis.     

Phase Transitions in Isotactic Polybutene-1

The possibilities to influence the 4 major phase transitions of isotactic polybutene – 1 (iPB-1) and their transformation rate are described. The phase transformations result in new polymer structures with new physical and, in some cases, practically important properties. The transformation of phase II to I is spontaneous contrary to the phase transformation of III to I or II, which depends on the temperature (96?°C or higher). For the practically most important phase transition, II → I, there are 3 major transformation types (plus (P), neutral (N) and minus (M)) depending on the phase transition rate.     

X-ray investigation of the transition I→II of NH4I at temperatures between 22° and −163°C

The lattice parameters of modifications I and II of NH₄I at temperatures between 22° and ?39°C were determined at twelve different temperatures by using the same Debye-Scherrer method as in the case of NH₄Br[1]. At the assumed transition temperature, ?16°C, the molar volume was found to increase by 16.96% with increasing temperature. By using a low temperatureX-ray diffractometer, the half time (50% mod. I and 50% mod. II) of the transition I→II of NH₄I was determined at different temperatures between ?23° and ?163 C° for four different particle sizes. It was found that, closely below the transition temperature, the needed supercooling increased with decreasing particle size.     

Quasi-reversible superprotonic phase transition in K9H7(SO4)8 · H2O crystals

The heat capacity and the bulk conductivity have been measured in the K₉H₇(SO₄)₈ · H₂O crystal. The hysteresis phenomena have been studied upon superprotonic phase transition. It is revealed that the phase transition is reversible upon thermocycling only for the monohydrate form of the crystal. The exponential temperature dependence of the heat capacity in the supercooled disordered phase exhibits a thermally activated behavior and is determined by the defects responsible for the high conductivity of the crystal.     

Raman study of thaumasite Ca3Si(OH)6(SO4)(CO3)⋅12H2O at high pressure

Thaumasite, Ca₃Si(OH)₆(SO₄)(CO₃)⋅12H₂O, is an extraordinary mineral that possibly plays a special role in the carbonate–sulfate–silicate balance of the Earth's crust. Thaumasite, an undesirable component in concrete, remains a material poorly studied at high pressures in various media except for He medium (M. Ardit et al., Mineral. Mag., 2014). In the present Raman study, thaumasite samples were compressed in alcohol–water and KBr media at high pressures up to ~7 GPa: several phase transformations were identified. In samples compressed in alcohol–water, the wavenumbers of intense Raman bands of S O and С О symmetric stretching vibrations at 991 and 1074 cm⁻¹ proved to exhibit similar dependences on pressure: during a first transition I → II at 4.4 GPa, the wavenumbers of both bands exhibited a downward jump; at a second transition II → III, which occurred at 4.9 GPa, each band split in a doublet; and then, at a third transition III → IV, which was observed at 5.4 GPa, each doublet band transformed in a singlet. In KBr medium, these and other Raman bands of thaumasite showed similar (to those in thaumasite at compression in alcohol–water) dependences on pressure, revealing several phase transitions with slightly shifted transition points, the first transition I → II, however, being not distinguished. Taking into account the similar behaviors in both media, the transitions are assumed to be polymorphic: no noticeable overhydration in thaumasite compressed in water–alcohol occurred. In phase IV, gradual widening and weakening of each band were observed; those changes can be attributed to amorphization of the material. Considerable hysteresis was observed at thaumasite decompression. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Successive phase transitions in tetra(isopropylamine)decachlorotricadmate (II) [(CH3)2CH NH3]4Cd3Cl10] crystal - Dielectric and dilatometric studies

Single crystal of a new [(CH₃)₂CHNH₃]₄Cd₃Cl₁₀ compound was grown and its properties have been characterized by dielectric and dilatometric investigations. Dielectric measurement evidenced the phase transitions at T₁ = 352.8 K, T₂ = 293.5 K and T₃ = 261.5 K on cooling run. Dilatometric measurement of thermal expansion showed clearly two successive phase transitions at T₁ and at T₂. No temperature hysteresis was observed for phase transitions at T₁ and T₂. Large temperature hysteresis was observed at T₃ in dielectric studies. Transitions at T₁ and T₃ are classified as a first order and at T₂ as a continuous one. Anomalies of electric permittivity and expansion connected with the transitions are observed at practically the same temperatures and close to those observed earlier in DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry) studies. Results of dilatometric studies were applied to estimate critical coefficient β for continuous phase transition at T₁ which is equal to 0.40 ± 0.01.     

Thermally tunable optical constants of vanadium dioxide thin films measured by spectroscopic ellipsometry

Smart materials with reversible tunable optical constants from visible to near-infrared wavelengths could enable excellent control over the resonant response in metamaterials, tunable plasmonic nanostructures, optical memory based on phase transition and thermally tunable optical devices. Vanadium dioxide (VO₂) is a promising candidate that exhibits a dramatic change in its complex refraction index or complex dielectric function arising from a structural phase transition from semiconductor to metal at a critical temperature of 70 °C. We demonstrated the thermal controllable reversible tunability of optical constants of VO₂ thin films. The optical/dielectric constants showed an abrupt thermal hysteresis which confirms clearly the electronic structural changes. Temperature dependence of dielectric constants as well as optical conductivity of sputtered VO₂ thin films was also reported and compared to previous theoretical and experimental reports.     

Thermal expansion of the Sn2P2(Se0.28S0.72)6 solid solutions

In the present work, we have experimentally studied and analysed the dilatometric properties of Sn₂P₂(Se_0.28S_0.72)₆ crystals during ferroelectric phase transition. A complete matrix of thermal expansion tensors as well as the characteristic surface of the thermal expansion tensor has been obtained. The critical exponent for the volume thermal expansion coefficient in Sn₂P₂(Se_0.28S_0.72)₆ crystals has been determined to be equal to 0.50 ± 0.06, which is peculiar to tricritical behaviour. Non-agreement in the values of the critical exponents evaluated from the temperature dependencies of relative elongation (0.17 ± 0.01) and volume thermal expansion coefficient (0.50 ± 0.06) is shown to be due to the possible temperature rotation of the spontaneous polarisation vector.     

Thermal expansion of the organic conductor β-(BEDT-TTF)2I3

We report hiogh resolution thermal expansion measurements between 1.2 and 300 K along the c¹-axis in the organic conductor β-(BEDT-TTF)₂I₃ where the superconducting properties are strongly dependent on the way the system is prepared in the pressure-temperature diagram. We clearly observed a strong anomaly at 172 K related to the structural phase transition and the resistivity anomalies reported by several groups. The temperature analysis in the low temperature regime is coherent with a phonon dominant contribution. Finally, the presence of small hysteresis in a large region around the transitions seem to indicate why both the pressure and the temperature cycling may stabilize small regions of the high-T_c phase of the system, as observed.     

High-temperature structural phase transition in the LiCu2O2 multiferroic

The results of thermogravimetric, X-ray diffraction, and electrical studies of LiCu₂O₂ single crystals in the temperature range 300–1100 K are presented. A reversible first-order phase transition between the orthorhombic and tetragonal phases is found to occur in these single crystals at T = 993 K. A pronounced peak on a differential thermal analysis curve and jumps in the unit cell parameters and the electrical resistivity are detected at the phase-transition temperature. The data on the crystal structure of LiCu₂O₂ and the phase transition-induced change in the entropy determined in this work are used to conclude that the revealed phase transition is caused by the ordering-disordering of Li⁺ and Cu²⁺ cations in their structural positions.     

Analysis of phase transition behavior of BaCeO3 with thermal analyses and high temperature X-ray diffraction

Structural phase transitions in BaCeO₃ have been investigated with combination of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dilatometry and high temperature X-ray diffraction with high sensitivity and resolution. In DSC curve at heating procedures, baseline shift, endothermic peak and another baseline shift were observed at 260 °C, 385 °C and 895 °C, respectively. From DSC curve at cooling procedure, it was revealed that all the baseline shifts and peak were reversible. No hysteresis was observed in the both baseline shifts indicating second order phase transition at 260 °C and 895 °C with variation of specific heat capacity, ΔC_p, of 10 J/mol K and 7 J/mol K, respectively; whereas the order of the phase transition at 385 °C was revealed to be the first since hysteresis was detected around 370–385 °C. Variation of enthalpy, ΔH, at the phase transition was 45 J/mol. High temperature X-ray diffraction measurements have revealed that the crystal structure of BaCeO₃ changes from primitive orthorhombic perovskite through body-centered one, rhombohedral distorted one to cubic one around 280 °C, 400 °C and 900 °C, showing correspondence with DSC curves. Dependence of molar volume on temperature estimated from high temperature X-ray diffraction showed agreement with thermal expansion behavior observed with dilatometry.     

Magnetic,thermal, and electrical properties of an Ni<Subscript>45.37</Subscript>Mn<Subscript>40.91</Subscript>In<Subscript>13.72</Subscript> Heusler alloy

The magnetization, the electrical resistivity, the specific heat, the thermal conductivity, and the thermal diffusion of a polycrystalline Heusler alloy Ni_45.37Mn_40.91In_13.72 sample are studied. Anomalies, which are related to the coexistence of martensite and austenite phases and the change in their ratio induced by a magnetic field and temperature, are revealed and interpreted. The behavior of the properties of the alloy near Curie temperature T_C also demonstrates signs of a structural transition, which suggests that the detected transition is a first-order magnetostructural phase transition. The nontrivial behavior of specific heat detected near the martensite transformation temperatures is partly related to a change in the electron density of states near the Fermi level. The peculiar peak of phonon thermal conductivity near the martensitic transformation is interpreted as a consequence of the appearance of additional soft phonon modes, which contribute to the specific heat and the thermal conductivity.     

Electrical conductivity of Na2SO4(I)

The electrical conductivity of the solid phase Na₂SO₄(I) has been measured between the melting point at 884°C and the first order phase transition at about 240°C. The measurements have been performed using complex impedance measurements on pellet samples as well as on U-cells. The electrical conductivity is strongly dependent on sample at low temperatures and the activation energy ranges from 0.5 eV to 1.7 eV over the measured temperature range.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of phase transition in AgNO3

Structural phase transition in AgNO₃ at high temperature is simulated by molecular dynamics. The simulations are based on the potentials calculated from the Gordon-Kim modified electron-gas formalism extended to molecular ionic crystals. AgNO₃ transforms into rhombohedral structure at high temperature and the phase transition is associated with the rotations of the NO₃ ions and displacements of the NO₃ and Ag ions.     

Differential thermal analysis of phase transitions in (Bi1−xLax)FeO3 solid solution

(Bi_1?xLa_x)FeO₃ solid solution, a material exhibiting simultaneously electric and magnetic long range dipole order, is studied by the method of differential thermal analysis. The results confirm the data on ferroelectric phase transitions obtained from electric permittivity and dilatometric measurements above 500°C. The endothermal effect observed about 820°C is related to the ferroelectric phase transition of BiFeO₃.     

Phases of silicon at high pressure

X-ray diffraction studies are reported on silicon at pressures up to 250 kbar (25 GPa). A transition to the β-Sn structure (II) initiates at 112 ± 2 kbar and two phases (I + II) coexist to 125 ± 2 kbar. At 132 ± 2 kbar a new phase (V) initiates, and the transition is complete at 164 ± 5 kbar. This phase persists to 250 kbar. Its structure is tentatively assigned as primitive hexagonal with c/a = 0.941 ± 0.002 at 250 kbar. On release of pressure, the sequence is V → (V + II) (145 - 110 kbar) → II → (II + III) (108 - 85 kbar) → III, the last phase persisting to room pressure.