Synthesis and crystal structure of CaxCo4Sb12 skutterudites

New skutterudite compounds Ca_xCo₄Sb₁₂ (0<x?0.2) have been prepared by traditional metallurgical synthesis. The compounds have been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and neutron powder diffraction. Rietveld refinement of the structures against neutron powder diffraction data (on Ca_0.1Co₄Sb₁₂, , a=9.0429 Å, χ²=1.55; wR_p=1.52) enabled the location of Ca in the voids of the skutterudite structure to be verified. The large displacement ellipsoid for Ca is consistent with “rattling” in the cage of the crystalline structure. XRD combined with EPMA analyses showed that the maximum occupancy of Ca atoms is about 0.2.     

Structure and electrical transport properties of the ordered skutterudites MGe1.5S1.5 (M=Co, Rh, Ir)

High-resolution powder neutron diffraction data collected for the skutterudites MGe_1.5S_1.5 (M=Co, Rh, Ir) reveal that these materials adopt an ordered skutterudite structure (space group R3¯), in which the anions are ordered in layers perpendicular to the [111] direction. In this ordered structure, the anions form two-crystallographically distinct four-membered rings, with stoichiometry Ge₂S₂, in which the Ge and S atoms are trans to each other. The transport properties of these materials, which are p-type semiconductors, are discussed in the light of the structural results. The effect of iron substitution in CoGe_1.5S_1.5 has been investigated. While doping of CoGe_1.5S_1.5 has a marked effect on both the electrical resistivity and the Seebeck coefficient, these ternary skutterudites exhibit significantly higher electrical resistivities than their binary counterparts.     

Crystal structure, electronic structure and physical properties of the new low-valent thallium silicon telluride Tl6Si2Te6 in comparison to Tl6Ge2Te6

The title compounds were prepared from the elements in the stoichiometric ratio at 800 °C under exclusion of air. Tl₆Si₂Te₆ crystallizes in the space group P1¯, isostructural with Tl₆Ge₂Te₆, with , , , α=89.158(2)°, β=96.544(2)°, γ=100.685(2)°, (Z=2). Its structure is composed of dimeric [Si₂Te₆]⁶⁻ units with a Si-Si single bond, while the Tl atoms are irregularly coordinated by five to six Te atoms. Numerous weakly bonding Tl-Tl contacts exist. Both title compounds are black semiconductors with small band gaps, calculated to be 0.9 eV for Tl₆Si₂Te₆ and 0.5 eV for Tl₆Ge₂Te₆. The Seebeck coefficients are +65 μV K⁻¹ in case of Tl₆Si₂Te₆ and +150 μV K⁻¹ in case of Tl₆Ge₂Te₆ at 300 K, and the electrical conductivities are 5.5 and 3 Ω⁻¹ cm⁻¹, respectively.     

Rare-earth-rich tellurides: Gd4NiTe2 and Er5M2Te2 (M=Co, Ni)

Three new rare earth metal-rich compounds, Gd₄NiTe₂, and Er₅M₂Te₂ (M=Ni, Co), were synthesized in direct reactions using R, R₃M, and R₂Te₃ (R=Gd, Er; M=Co, Ni) and single-crystal structures were determined. Gd₄NiTe₂ is orthorhombic and crystallizes in space group Pnma with four formula units per cell. Lattice parameters at 110(2) K are a=15.548(9), b=4.113(2), . Er₅Ni₂Te₂ and Er₅Co₂Te₂ are isostructural and crystallize in the orthorhombic space group Cmcm with two formula units per cell. Lattice parameters at 110(2) K are a=3.934(1), b=14.811(4), , and a=3.898(1), b=14.920(3), , respectively. Metal-metal bonding correlations were analyzed using the empirical Pauling bond order concept.     

Synthesis and high-temperature thermoelectric properties of Ni and Ti substituted LaCoO3

The effect of Ti and Ni substitution in LaCoO_3−δ was investigated by means of electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient properties in a broad temperature range. The studied compounds crystallize in a rhombohedral crystal structure within the whole substitution range. The Seebeck coefficient of most of the studied compounds is positive indicating predominant hole-type charge carriers. The electrical resistivity decreases with increasing temperature for all compositions. Increasing the Ni content results in a decrease of the electrical resistivity, while the resistivity increases with increasing Ti content. The power factor, PF, for the Ni substituted samples is PF=1.42×10⁻⁴ W/m² K for x=0.10 at and decreases with temperature. The LaCo_1−xTi_xO_3±δ compounds reveal an enhancement of the power factor with increasing temperature. Ti substitution leads to a higher power factor compared to that of Ni substitution at .     

Structure and properties of the CaFe2O4-type cobalt oxide CaCo2O4

The calcium cobalt oxide CaCo₂O₄ was synthesized for the first time and characterized from a powder X-ray diffraction study, measuring magnetic susceptibility, specific heat, electrical resistivity, and thermoelectric power. CaCo₂O₄ crystallizes in the CaFe₂O₄ (calcium ferrite)-type structure, consisting of an edge- and corner-shared CoO₆ octahedral network. The structure of CaCo₂O₄ belongs to an orthorhombic system (space group: Pnma) with lattice parameters, a=8.789(2) Å, b=2.9006(7) Å and c=10.282(3) Å. Curie-Weiss-like behavior in magnetic susceptibility with the nearly trivalent cobalt low-spin state (Co³⁺, 3d, S=0), semiconductor-like temperature dependence of resistivity (ρ=3×10⁻¹ Ω cm at 380 K) with dominant hopping conduction at low temperature, metallic-temperature-dependent large thermoelectric power (Seebeck coefficient: S=+147 μV/K at 380 K), and Schottky-type specific heat with a small Sommerfeld constant (γ=4.48(7) mJ/Co mol K²), were observed. These results suggest that the compound possesses a metallic electronic state with a small density of states at the Fermi level. The doped holes are localized at low temperatures due to disorder in the crystal. The carriers probably originate from slight off-stoichiometry of the phase. It was also found that S tends to increase even more beyond 380 K. The large S is possibly attributed to residual spin entropy and orbital degeneracy coupled with charges by strong electron correlation in the cobalt oxides.     

Superstructure of a phosphor material Ba3MgSi2O8 determined by neutron diffraction data

Ba₃MgSi₂O₈, a phosphor host examined for use in white-light devices and plant-growth lamps, was synthesized at 1225 °C in air. Its crystal structure has been determined and refined by a combined powder X-ray and neutron Rietveld method (, Z=3, a=9.72411(3) Å, c=7.27647(3) Å, V=595.870(5) Å³; R_p/R_wp=3.79%/5.03%, χ²=4.20). Superstructure reflections, observed only in the neutron diffraction data, provided the means to establish the true unit cell and a chemically reasonable structure. The structure contains three crystallographically distinct Ba atoms—Ba1 resides in a distorted octahedral site with S₆ () symmetry, Ba2 in a nine-coordinate site with C₃ (3) symmetry, and Ba3 in a ten-coordinate site with C₁ (1) symmetry. The Mg atoms occupy distorted octahedral sites, and the Si atom occupies a distorted tetrahedral site.     

Synthesis and crystal structure of gallosilicate- and aluminogermanate tetrahydroborate sodalites Na8[GaSiO4]6(BH4)2 and Na8[AlGeO4]6(BH4)2

Tetrahydroborate enclathrated sodalites with gallosilicate and aluminogermanate host framework were synthesized under mild hydrothermal conditions and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction and IR spectroscopy. Crystal structures were refined in the space group P-43n from X-ray powder data using the Rietveld method. Na₈[GaSiO₄]₆(BH₄)₂: a=895.90(1) pm, V=0.71909(3)×10⁻⁶ nm³, R_P=0.074, R_B=0.022, Na₈[AlGeO₄]₆(BH₄)₂: a=905.89(2) pm, V=0.74340(6)×10⁻⁶ nm³, R_P=0.082, R_B=0.026. The tetrahedral framework T-atoms are completely ordered in each case and the boron atoms are located at the centre of the sodalite cages. The hydrogen atoms of the enclathrated anions were refined on x, x, x positions, restraining them to boron-hydrogen distances of 116.8 pm as found in NaBD₄.The IR-absorption spectra of the novel phases show the typical bands of the tetrahedral group as found in the spectrum of pure sodium boron hydride.The new sodalites are discussed as interesting -containing model compounds which could release pure hydrogen.     

Low-temperature and high-pressure structural behaviour of NaBi(MoO4)2—an X-ray diffraction study

NaBi(MoO₄)₂ has been characterized by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction in the temperature and pressure ranges 13-297 K and 0-25 GPa, respectively. The domain structure developing below proves that NaBi(MoO₄)₂ undergoes a ferroelastic phase transition associated with tetragonal I4₁/a to monoclinic I2/a symmetry change. The character of the unit cell evolution as a function of temperature indicates a continuous transition with the spontaneous strain as an order parameter. The structural distortion, due to small displacements of Bi³⁺ and Na⁺ ions, develops slowly. Therefore the overall changes, as measured in single-crystal diffraction at 110 and 13 K, appear to be subtle. High-pressure powder X-ray diffraction shows that the elastic behaviour is anisotropic, the linear compressibility along the a- and c-axes of the tetragonal unit cell being β_a=2.75(10)×10^-3 and , respectively. The cell contraction, stronger along the c-axis, causes the distances between the MoO₄ layers to be shortened. Consequently, the cation migration in the channels formed by MoO₄ tetrahedra becomes hindered, and any symmetry lowering phase transition is not observed up to 25 GPa. The zero-pressure bulk modulus is , and its pressure derivative .     

Ferromagnetic-phase transition in the spinel-type CuCr2Te4

Ferromagnetic-phase transition in spinel-type CuCr₂Te₄ has been clearly observed. CuCr₂Te₄ is a telluride-spinel with the lattice constant , which has been synthesized successfully. The heat capacity exhibits a sharp peak due to the ferromagnetic-phase transition with the Curie temperature . This value of T_C corresponds exactly to that of the negative peak of dM/dT in low field of 1.0 Oe. The magnetic susceptibility shows the Curie-Weiss behavior between 380 and 650 K with the effective magnetic moment /Cr-ion and the Weiss constant . The low temperature magnetization indicates the spin-wave excitations, where the existence of first term of Bloch T^3/2 law and the next T^5/2 term are verified experimentally. This spin-wave excitation is detected up to approximately 250 K which is a fairly high temperature.     

Synthesis, crystal and magnetic structure of a novel brownmillerite-type compound Ca2Co1.6Ga0.4O5

The novel compound Ca₂Co_1.6Ga_0.4O₅ with brownmillerite (BM) structure has been prepared from citrates at 950 °C. The crystal structure of Ca₂Co_1.6Ga_0.4O₅ was refined, from neutron powder diffraction (NPD) data, in space group Pnma, , , , χ²=1.798, , R_wp=0.0378 and R_p=0.0292. On the basis of the NPD refinement the compound was found to be a G-type antiferromagnet (space group Pn^′m^′a) at room temperature, with the magnetic moments of cobalt atoms directed along chains of tetrahedra in the BM structure. Electron diffraction and electron microscopy studies revealed disorder in the crystallites, which can be interpreted as the presence of slabs with BM-type structure of Pnma and I2mb symmetry.     

Ab initio structure determination and Rietveld refinement of Bi10Mo3O24 the member n=3 of the Bi2n+4MonO6(n+1) series

Bi₂O₃-MoO₃ system shows a large panoply of phases depending on Bi/Mo ratio, among them, the low temperature phases of the homologous series Bi_2(n+2)Mo_nO_6(n+1) with n=3, 4, 5 and 6. They exhibit, alike most of the phases of this system, strong fluorite sub-network. Nevertheless, a multitechnique approach has been followed in order to solve the crystal structure of the n=3 member, i.e. Bi₁₀Mo₃O₂₄. From ab initio indexing X-ray powder pattern cell parameters were derived. It belongs to the monoclinic system, space group C2, with cell parameters: a=23.7282(2) Å, b=5.64906(6) Å, c=8.68173(9) Å, β=95.8668(7)° with Z=2. The matrix relating this cell with the fluorite one is 4 0 1/0 1 0/ 0  and a cationic localization was derived. HRTEM allowed the cationic Bi and Mo order to be modified and specified, as well as to build up a full structural ab initio model on the basis of crystal chemistry considerations. Simultaneous Rietveld refinement of multipattern X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data taking advantage of the neutron scattering length for O location have been performed. The goodness of the model was ascertained by low reliability factors, weighted R_b=4.97% and R_f=3.21%. This complex Bi₁₀Mo₃O₂₄ structure, with 5Bi, 2Mo and 13O in different crystallographic positions of the asymmetric unit, shows good agreement between observed and calculated patterns within the data resolution. Moreover, the determination of this structure sets the basis for the crystallographic characterization of the complete family Bi_2(n+2)Mo_nO_6(n+1), whose guidelines are also evidenced in this paper.     

“Unusual” phase transitions in CeAlO3

High-resolution time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction was carried out to investigate the crystal structures of CeAlO₃ over a wide temperature range between 4.2 and 1423 K. Confirming the recent result of X-ray powder diffraction, the room temperature structure is tetragonal with the space group I4/mcm (tilt system (a⁰a⁰c⁻)). The tetragonal structure persists down to 4.2 K. However, above room temperature CeAlO₃ undergoes three phase transitions: first to the orthorhombic Imma structure (tilt system (a⁰b⁻b⁻)) at, e.g., 373 K, then to the rhombohedral structure (tilt system (a⁻a⁻a⁻)) at, e.g., 473 K, and finally, to the primitive cubic structure which exists above 1373 K. The sequence of phases, , which occurs in CeAlO₃ is a rare one in oxide perovskites.     

Synthesis, crystal structure and magnetic properties of an Os-containing pillared perovskite La5Os3MnO16

A new Os-containing, pillared perovskite, La₅Os₃MnO₁₆, has been synthesized by solid state reaction in sealed quartz tubes. This extends the crystal chemistry of these materials which had been known only for Mo and Re, previously. The crystal structure has been characterized by X-ray and neutron powder diffraction and is described in space group C-1 with parameters a=7.9648(9) Å; b=8.062(1) Å; c=10.156(2) Å, α=90.25(1)°, β=95.5(1)°; γ=89.95(2)°, for La₅Os₃MnO₁₆. The compound is isostructural with the corresponding La₅Re₃MnO₁₆ phase. A very short Os-Os distance of 2.50(1) Å was found in the dimeric pillaring unit, Os₂O₁₀, suggestive of a triple bond as demanded by electron counting. Nearly spin only values for the effective moment for Os⁵⁺ () and Mn²⁺ () were derived from magnetic susceptibility data. Evidence for magnetic transitions was seen near ∼180 and 80 K. Neutron diffraction data indicate that T_c is 170(5) K. The magnetic structure of La₅Os₃MnO₁₆ at 7 K was solved revealing that Os⁵⁺ and Mn²⁺ form ferrimagnetically coupled layers with antiferromagnetic interlayer ordering. The ordered moments are for Mn²⁺ and for Os⁵⁺, which are reduced from the respective spin only values of 5.0 and . The observation of net ferrimagnetic (antiparallel) intraplanar coupling between Os⁵⁺(t_2g³) and Mn²⁺(t_2g³e_g²) is interesting as it appears to contradict the Goodenough-Kanamori rules for 180° superexchange.     

Magnetic study of two isotypic manganese chloro-sulfides: MnSbS2Cl and the new compound MnBiS2Cl

Among the MnPnQ₂X compounds (Pn: pnictide; Q: chalcogen; X: halogen), two isotypic chloro-sulfides, MnSbS₂Cl and MnBiS₂Cl, have been studied. MnBiS₂Cl is a new compound synthesized by solid state reaction at 500 °C. It is orthorhombic, space group Pnma, with a=9.502(2), b=3.8802(8), , , Z=4. Its X-ray single crystal study shows (001) waved layers of MnS₄Cl₂ octahedra, opposite edge-sharing along b, and corner-sharing along a. Similar magnetic susceptibilities for both compounds have been recorded, indicating high spin Mn²⁺ with anti-ferromagnetic exchange. Correlatively, specific heat versus temperature shows a magnetic transition at for the Sb-bearing compound, and a two-steps magnetic transition at 28 and 32 K for the Bi isotype. The magnetic structure of MnSbS₂Cl has been determined by neutron diffraction, revealing a magnetic ordering at 1.5 K with an incommensurate wave-vector along b (k=[0, 0.3838, 0]). Two modulation models, sinusoidal and helicoidal, give quite equivalent reliability factors (R_mag=0.0573 and 0.0586, respectively).     

Growth of high quality and large-sized Rb0.3MoO3 single crystals by molten salt electrolysis method

High quality and large-sized Rb_0.3MoO₃ single crystals were synthesized by molten salt electrolysis method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and rocking curves, as well as the white beam Laue diffraction of X-ray images show the crystals grown by this method have high quality. The lattice constants evaluated from XRD patterns are a₀=1.87 nm, b₀=0.75 nm, c₀=1.00 nm, β=118.83^°. The in situ selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns along the , and zone axes at room temperature indicate that the Rb_0.3MoO₃ crystal possess perfect C-centered symmetry. Temperature dependence of the resistivity shows this compound undergoes a metal to semiconductor transition at 183 K.     

Pressure-induced phase transition and octahedral tilt system change of Ba2BiSbO6

High-resolution X-ray synchrotron powder diffraction studies under high-pressure conditions are reported for the ordered double perovskite Ba₂BiSbO₆. Near 4 GPa, the oxide undergoes a pressure-induced phase transition. The symmetry of the material changes during the phase transition from space group to space group I2/m, which is consistent with a change in the octahedral tilting distortion from an a⁻a⁻a⁻ type to a⁰b⁻b⁻ type using the Glazer notation. A fit of the volume-pressure data using the Birch-Murnagaham equation of state yielded a bulk modulus of 144(8) GPa for the rhombohedral phase.     

Effect of cation site-disorder on the structure and magneto-transport properties of Ln5/8M3/8MnO3 manganites

Five members of Ln_5/8M_3/8MnO₃ series with A-cation size variance (σ²) ranging between 3×10⁻⁴ and 71×10⁻⁴ Å², and the same A-cation size , have been synthesized by the ceramic method. The five manganites are single phase and they crystallize in the Pnma perovskite superstructure. The five compositions display ferromagnetic-paramagnetic transitions at temperatures ranging between 130 and 270 K, for the highest and lowest variance sample, respectively. The samples with smaller variances show sharp magnetization transitions and the samples with the larger variances display broad transitions. These transitions have also been studied by differential scanning calorimetry, DSC, and some enthalpy changes are reported. The resistivity study indicates that all samples display the expected metal-to-insulator transitions at temperatures ranging between 140 and 270 K. The samples have been analysed at room temperature by ultra-high-resolution synchrotron powder diffraction and the structural and microstructural features are reported. Furthermore, Nd_5/8Sr_0.255Ca_0.12MnO₃ () and Sm_0.225Nd_0.4Sr_0.308Ca_0.067MnO₃ () samples have also been studied by synchrotron powder diffraction at 140 K, below the transition temperatures. Both samples are found to be single phase above and below the transition by ultra-high-resolution synchrotron powder diffraction. The microstructure of the samples has been investigated through Williamson-Hall plots. Sample broadenings are markedly anisotropic and strongly dominated by microstrains with average values of the Δd/d term close to 14×10⁻⁴. A direct correlation is found between the microstrain values and the widths of the magnetization transitions.     

Neutron diffraction study of phase transitions in perovskite-type strontium molybdate SrMoO3

The structure of a polycrystalline sample of SrMoO₃ has been investigated using powder neutron diffraction from 5 to 300 K, to reveal two structural phase transitions, the first from the cubic structure with a=3.97629(3) Å to a tetragonal structure in I4/mcm near 266 K and the second to an orthorhombic Imma phase below 125 K. The average Mo-O distance is essentially independent of temperature. The temperature dependence of the octahedral tilting appears typical of a tricritical phase transition.