Defect structure and ionic conductivity of Ca1 ? xScxF2 + x (0.02 ≤ x ≤ 0.15) single crystals

Single crystals of the Ca_{1 − x} Sc _x F_{2 + x} (x = 0.106, 0.132, 0.156) solid solutions (CaF₂ structure type, space group Fm m) are investigated using X-ray diffraction. It is revealed that the crystals under investigation contain vacancies in the 8c positions and interstitial fluorine ions in the 48i positions. The coordination number of Sc³⁺ ions in the structure of the Ca_{1 −x} Sc _x F_{2 + x} solid solutions is equal to eight. The specific features of the concentration dependences of the ionic conductivity and the activation energy of ion transfer for the Ca_{1 − x} Sc _x F_{2 + x} (0.02 ≤ x ≤ 0.15) solid solutions are explained in the framework of the percolation model of conducting “defect regions.” The percolation threshold equal to 3–5 mol % ScF₃ corresponds to the model of [Ca_{14 − n} Sc _n F₆₈] octacubic clusters containing fluorine ions in the 48i positions. The ionic conductivity of the Ca_{1 − x} Sc _x F_{2 + x} solid solutions is analyzed in comparison with the change in this characteristic for the series of Ca_0.8 R _0.2F_2.2 crystals with rare-earth elements. Original Russian Text ? E.A. Sulyanova, V.N. Molchanov, N.I. Sorokin, D.N. Karimov, S.N. Sulyanov, B.P. Sobolev, 2009, published in Kristallografiya, 2009, Vol. 54, No. 4, pp. 612–622.     

Nanostructured crystals of fluorite phases Sr1 ? xRxF2 + x (R = Y, La-Lu) and their ordering: Part III. A study of the refractive indices

The refractive indices n of Sr_{1 − x} R _x F_{2 + x} crystals (R = Y, La-Lu; 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) have been measured at wavelengths of 0.436, 0.546, and 0.589 μm. It is established that n increases when there is an increase in the RF₃ content x according to a weakly quadratic law for each R. For the isoconcentration series of Sr_0.9 R _0.1F_2.1 crystals, the change in n in the series of rare earth elements has a pronounced nonlinear character, which reflects the nonmonotonous change in the properties of compounds in the R series. It is shown that the method of molecular refraction additivity can be used to calculate n for Sr_{1 − x} R _x F_{2 + x} crystals. By varying the RF₃ content in them, one can obtain optical media with a gradually varied refractive index n in the range 1.44–1.55, thus filling the gap in the n values between high ones for RF₃ crystals and low ones for crystals of alkaline earth fluorides MF₂. Original Russian Text ? T.M. Glushkova, D.N. Karimov, E.A. Krivandina, Z.I. Zhmurova, B.P. Sobolev, 2009, published in Kristallografiya, 2009, Vol. 54, No. 4, pp. 642–647.     

The growth and defect structure of CdF2 and nonstoichiometric Cd1 ? xRxF2 + x phases (R are rare earth elements or in): Part VI. The optical properties of Cd0.9R0.1F2.1 crystals

The optical properties of the isoconcentration series of Cd_0.9 R _0.1F_2.1 crystals (R = Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, or Lu) grown from a melt by the Bridgman method have been investigated. The crystals have an anomalous birefringence (∼10⁻⁶) nonuniformly distributed over the sample diameter; the dichroism in them does not exceed 10⁻⁹. Scanning using a spectral modulator showed the nonuniform distribution of rare earth elements over the crystal diameter. The refractive indices n have been measured at wave-lengths of 0.436, 0.546, and 0.589 μm. The character of change in n along the rare-earth series is nonuniform and similar to the change in n in Sr_0.9 R _0.1F_2.1 crystals. It is shown that the refractive indices in Cd_{1 − x} R _x F_{2 + x} crystals, depending on the RF₃ content, can be estimated using the method of molecular refraction additivity. Original Russian Text ? A.F. Konstantinova, T.M. Glushkova, I.I. Buchinskaya, E.A. Krivandina, B.P. Sobolev, 2009, published in Kristallografiya, 2009, Vol. 54, No. 4, pp. 648–651.     

Nanostructured crystals of fluorite phases Sr1 ? xRxF2 + x (R are rare-earth elements) and their ordering: IV. Study of the optical transmission spectra in the 2–17-μm wavelength range

Transmission spectra of two-component crystals of Sr_1−x R _x F_2+x (R = Y, La-Lu; 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) in the 1–17-μm wavelength range were studied. The spectral characteristics of these crystals and of single-component crystals of MF₂ (M = Ca, Sr, or Ba) and RF₃ (R = La-Nd) were compared. The transmission cutoff of Sr_1−x R _x F_2+x crystals is shifted to shorter wavelengths with increasing x. The same tendency is observed with the increasing atomic number R of rare-earth elements for two isoconcentration series of Sr_1−x R _x F_2+x (x ∼ 0.10 and 0.28). This tendency is pronounced at large x. The transmission cutoff of Sr_1−x R _x F_2+x crystals can be varied in the range of from 10.7 to 12.2 μm by changing their qualitative (R) and quantitative (x) composition. Hence, these crystals can be assigned to multicomponent fluoride optical materials with controlled optical characteristics. The Sr_1−x R _x F_2+x crystals, where R = Ce-Sm, were shown to be promising materials for the design of selective optical filters in the 2–10-μm spectral range.     

Nanostructured crystals of Sr1?xRxF2+x fluorite phases and their ordering: 6. Microindentation analysis of crystals

Hardness, crack resistance, brittleness, and effective fracture energy have been studied for crystals of 24 fluorite phases Sr_{1 − x} R _x F_{2 + x} (R are 14 rare earth elements (REEs); 0 < x ≤ 0.5) and SrF2 grown by the Bridgman method from a melt. These characteristics change nonlinearly with an increase in the REE content for Sr_{1 − x} R _x F_{2 + x} (0 < x ≤ 0.5) with R = La, Nd, Sm, Gd, and Lu; it is maximum in the range x < 0.1 for all REEs. The changes in a number of REEs have been traced for an isoconcentration series of Sr_0.90 R _0.10F_2.10 crystals (R = La, Nd, Sm, Gd, Ho, Er-Lu, or Y) and crystals (similar in composition) with R = Tb and Dy. The hardness of Sr_{1 − x} R _x F_{2 + x} crystals is higher by a factor of ∼2–3 than that of SrF2. The effect of decrease in microstresses in SrF₂ crystals is confirmed by the isomorphic introduction of R ³⁺ ions into this crystalline matrix.     

Mechanochemical synthesis of nonstoichiometric nanocrystals La1 ? yCayF3 ? y with a tysonite structure and nanoceramic materials from CaF2 and LaF3 crystals

The nonstoichiometric phases La_{1 − y} Ca _y F_{3 − y} (y = 0.15, 0.20) with a tysonite (LaF₃) structure have been prepared for the first time by the mechanochemical synthesis from CaF₂ and LaF₃ crystals. The average size of coherent scattering regions is approximately equal to 10–30 nm. It has been shown that the compositions of the phases prepared by the mechanochemical synthesis are inconsistent with the phase diagram of the CaF₂-LaF₃ system. The “mechanohydrolysis” of the La_{1 − y} Ca _y F_{3 − y} phase has been observed for the first time. Under these conditions, the La_{1 − y} Ca _y F_{3 − y} phase partially transforms into lanthanum calcium oxyfluoride for a milling time of 180 min with intermediate sampling. The La_{1 − y} Ca _y F_{3 − y} nanoceramic materials have been prepared from a powder of the mechanochemical synthesis product by pressing under a pressure of (2–6) × 10⁸ Pa at room temperature. The electrical conductivity of the synthesized materials at a temperature of 200°C is equal to 4.9(6) × 10⁻⁴ S/cm, and the activation energy of electrical conduction is 0.46(2) eV. These data for the nanoceramic materials coincide with those obtained for migration of fluorine vacancies in single-crystal tysonite fluoride materials. Original Russian Text ? B.P. Sobolev, I.A. Sviridov, V.I. Fadeeva, S.N. Sul’yanov, N.I. Sorokin, Z.I. Zhmurova, I.I. Khodos, A.S. Avilov, M.A. Zaporozhets, 2008, published in Kristallografiya, 2008, Vol. 53, No. 5, pp. 919–929.     

Crystal and magnetic structures of the Bi1 ? xSrxFeO3 ? δ and Bi1 ? xAxFe1 ? xMnxO3 (A = Sr, Ca) solid solutions

Bi_{1 − x} Sr _x FeO_{3 − x/2} (I), Bi_{1 − x} Sr _x Fe_{1 − x} MnxO₃ (II), and Bi_{1 − x} Ca _x Fe_{1 − x} Mn _x O₃ (III) solid solutions have been obtained. Their magnetization has been measured by X-ray and neutron diffraction and M?ssbauer spectroscopy. According to the M?ssbauer spectroscopy data, iron ions are in the trivalent state in system I. Near the concentration x ≈ 0.2, rhombohedral distortions (sp. gr. R3c) are transformed into tetragonal (P4/mmm). The symmetry of system II changes at x > 0.2 (R3c → R3c), whereas orthorhombic distortions (R3c → Pbnm) arise in system III at x > 0.2. The magnetic structure is antiferromagnetic (of G type). The samples of systems II and III exhibit weak ferromagnetism at x > 0.2 due to the Dzyaloshinski-Moriya interaction.     

Investigation of Trimetallic Ligand-Pillared Oxyfluorides: Ag2Cu(pzc)2MOxF6?x (M?=?Mo, Nb, and W)

Abstract  

Three new ligand-pillared hybrid solids, Ag₂Cu(pzc)₂MO _x F_6−x (I, M = Mo, x = 2; II, M = W, x = 2; III, M = Nb, x = 1) (pzc = pyrazine-2-carboxylate) were synthesized via hydrothermal reactions at 150 °C, and their structures were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (P2₁/n (No. 14), Z = 2; a = 7.2302(1), 7.2124(2), 7.2715(2) ?; b = 7.9460(1), 7.9270(2), 7.98436(3) ?; c = 13.9173(2), 13.8959(4), 13.8226(5) ?, for I, II, and III, respectively). All three are isostructural and contain unusual trimetallic (Ag₂CuMO _x F_6−x )²⁺ layers that consist of [Ag₂O₂F₂] _n and [CuMO _x F_6−x ] _n chains that alternate within the layers. Each structure also contains [MO _x F_6−x ]²⁻ octahedra with fully disordered O/F positions and with an inversion center on the M ⁿ⁺ sites, i.e., Mo⁶⁺, W⁶⁺ and Nb⁵⁺. Magnetic susceptibility measurements can be fitted to the Curie–Weiss law with a Curie constant consistent with a single non-interacting Cu(II) (S = ?) site per formula unit. Thermogravimetric analyses indicate that these hybrid compounds are stable up to ~280 °C, with each exhibiting a single weight-loss step beginning at ~300 °C that corresponds to the loss of all pyrazine-2-carboxylate ligands and additional O/F atoms via oxidation of the ligand during its removal. UV–Vis diffuse reflectance measurements show that each exhibits an optical bandgap size of ~2.8 eV, and which electronic-structure calculations show arise from excitations between the Cu(II)-based valence orbitals and the M^5+/6+-based conduction band orbitals.     

Neutron diffraction investigation of the evolution of the crystal structure of oxygen-conducting solid solutions (Yb1 ? x Ca x )2Ti2O7 ( x = 0, 0.05, 0.10)

The crystal structure of pyrochlore-like solid solutions (Yb_{1 − x} Ca _x )₂Ti₂O₇ (x = 0, 0.05, 0.10) synthesized by high-temperature annealing of mechanically activated initial oxides at temperatures of 1300–1500°C is studied using neutron diffraction. It is found that the Ca²⁺ cations are located in the ytterbium sublattice, which apparently favors the splitting of one of the oxygen sublattices [O(2) (48f)] of the pyrochlore structure: the decrease in the occupancy of this sublattice is accompanied by the formation of a new sublattice O(3) (8b), whereas the other oxygen sublattice O(1) (8a) remains unchanged. This rearrangement of the anions in the oxygen subsystem due to the incorporation of an alkaline-earth cation explains the high ionic conductance (∼0.2 S/cm at 1000°C) for (Yb_0.9Ca_0.1)₂Ti₂O₇ ∼ 0.2, which is the maximum value observed to date for pyrochlores of the A ₂ B ₂O₇ type, where A = Ln and B is a Subgroup IVA element of the periodic system. The bulk and grain-boundary components of the conductivity of (Yb_0.95Ca_0.05)₂Ti₂O₇ synthesized at temperatures of 1300, 1400, and 1500°C are studied using impedance spectroscopy. It is found that the (Yb_0.95Ca_0.05)₂Ti₂O₇ sample synthesized at 1500°C has the highest total conductivity due to the increased grain-boundary component. The bulk component of the ionic conductivity of (Yb_0.95Ca_0.05)₂Ti₂O₇ is hardly affected by the synthesis temperature and depends mainly on the degree of heterovalent substitution. Original Russian Text ? A.V. Shlyakhtina, A.E. Sokolov, V.A. Ul’yanov, V.A. Trunov, M.V. Boguslavskiĭ, A.V. Levchenko, L.G. Shcherbakova, 2009, published in Kristallografiya, 2009, Vol. 54, No. 1, pp. 31–36.     

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a New Mixed Alkali Oxalate A1?x(NH4)x(H2C2O4)(HC2O4)(H2O)2 with A?=?K, Rb

Abstract  

In the present study we report the synthesis, crystal structure, spectroscopic and thermal analysis of mixed alkali A_1−x (NH₄) _x (H₂C₂O₄)(HC₂O₄)(H₂O)₂ with A = K, Rb. Single crystal refinements showed that the two compounds Rb_0.86(NH₄)_0.14(H₂C₂O₄)(HC₂O₄)(H₂O)₂ and K_0.53(NH₄)_0.47(H₂C₂O₄)(HC₂O₄)(H₂O)₂ adopt P − 1 space group. The nine fold coordination cationic sites are randomly occupied by Rb⁺/NH₄ ⁺ and K⁺/NH₄ ⁺ respectively for rubidium and potassium compounds. The structure consists of a three-dimensional network formed by the succession along (c) axis of corrugated sheets formed by alkali polyhedra layers in the packing of four-membered rings [A₄(HC₂O₄)₂(H₂C₂O₄)₂] linked and bridged by oxalate groups that behave as bi and tetradentate ligand under three different coordination modes. The stability of the crystal lattice is ensured by interesting hydrogen bonding contacts: N–H···O and O–H···O. The thermal behavior under air reveals two anomalies at 368 and 402 K attributed respectively to a structural phase transition probably due to the reorientation of ammonium tetrahedral and to the release of crystalline water. IR spectroscopy further confirms that this material loses crystallization water gradually in the temperature range 400–460 K.     

The X-Ray Structure and Spectroscopic Characterization of [Zn(H2O)6][{Zn(H2O)}2(ttha)]·4H2O (ttha?=?Triethylenetetraamine-N,N,N′,N″,N?,N?-hexaacetate)

Abstract  

[Zn(H₂O)₆][{Zn(H₂O)}₂(ttha)]·4H₂O (ttha = triethylenetetraamine-N,N,N′,N″,N‴,N‴-hexaacetate) has been structurally characterized (triclinic, P-1, a = 7.4014(4) ?, b = 8.5521(4) ?, c = 15.0309(7) ?, α = 73.582(1)°, β = 85.173(1)°, γ = 69.935(1)°; V = 857.15(7) ?³; Z = 1). The two Zn²⁺ ions bound by the [ttha]⁻⁶ ligand are in distorted octahedral environments. While there exists a center of symmetry in the [{Zn(H₂O)}₂(ttha)]²⁻ anion in the crystalline state, ¹³C{¹H} NMR spectroscopy demonstrates the absence of a center of symmetry in aqueous solution. Furthermore, electronic absorption spectroscopy reveals that [Zn(H₂O)₆][{Zn(H₂O)}₂(ttha)]·4H₂O reacts with vanadyl(IV) acetate in aqueous solution at room temperature to yield [(VO)₂(ttha)]²⁻. This reaction implies that Zn²⁺ can dissociate from [{Zn(H₂O)}₂(ttha)]²⁻ in aqueous solution.