Crystal structure and phase transitions of strontium zirconium diorthophosphate, SrZr(PO4)2

The crystal structure of SrZr(PO₄)₂ at 298 K was determined from conventional X-ray powder diffraction data using direct methods, and it was further refined by the Rietveld method. The structure was triclinic (space group , Z=2) with a=0.77508(4) nm, b=0.78887(5) nm, c=0.51251(3) nm, α=95.754(3)°, β=90.228(2)°, γ=92.474(2)°, and V=0.31149(3) nm³. Final reliability indices were R_wp=8.51%, R_p=6.07%, and R_B=2.46%. The powder specimens were also examined by high-temperature XRD and differential thermal analysis to reveal the occurrence of phase transitions from triclinic to monoclinic at 405 K, then to hexagonal (or trigonal) at 1196 K during heating. Upon cooling, the reverse change of the latter transition occurred at 1175 K. The subsequent monoclinic-to-triclinic transition was martensitic and incomplete during further cooling to 298 K. The monoclinic phase is most probably isostructural with yavapaiite. The present paper has described, for the first time, the higher- and lower-temperature polymorphs of the yavapaiite-type structure.     

Crystal structure, phase transition and anisotropic thermal expansion of barium zirconium diorthophosphate, BaZr(PO4)2

The crystal structure of BaZr(PO₄)₂ at 298 K was determined from conventional X-ray powder diffraction data using direct methods, and it was further refined by the Rietveld method. The structure was monoclinic (space group C2/m, Z=2) with , , , β=93.086(1)° and . Final reliability indices were R_wp=8.21%, R_p=5.64% and R_B=2.92%. The atom arrangement is similar to that of yavapaiite (KFe(SO₄)₂), however, these crystal structures differ distinctly in the coordination numbers of barium and potassium atoms; the former is tenfold coordinated, whereas the latter is sixfold coordinated. The powder specimens were also examined by high-temperature XRD and DTA to reveal the occurrence of a phase transition from monoclinic to orthorhombic at 732 K during heating. Upon cooling the reverse transition occurred at 710 K. The monoclinic crystal expanded almost one-dimensionally along [503] during the heating process. The orthorhombic phase also showed a tendency to expand one-dimensionally along the c-axis above 732 K.     

MGe(PO4)2 (M=Ca, Sr, Ba): Crystal structure, phase transitions and thermal expansion

Three earth alkali-germanium monophosphates M^IIGe(PO₄)₂ (M=Ca, Sr, Ba) were prepared by solid state reaction and their structures, previously unknown, studied by Rietveld analysis. BaGe(PO₄)₂ and high-temperature β-SrGe(PO₄)₂ (space group C2/m, Z=2) are fully isotypic with yavapaiite, whereas CaGe(PO₄)₂ and low-temperature α-SrGe(PO₄)₂ (C2/c, Z=4) are distorted derivatives. The phase transition between the two forms is observed for the first time. The thermal expansion, resulting from several structural mechanisms, is very anisotropic.     

Crystal structure and phase transitions in perovskite-like C(NH2)3SnCl3

X-ray single-crystal diffraction, high-temperature powder diffraction and differential thermal analysis at ambient and high pressure have been employed to study the crystal structure and phase transitions of guanidinium trichlorostannate, C(NH₂)₃SnCl₃. At 295 K the crystal structure is orthorhombic, space group Pbca, Z=8, a=7.7506(2) Å, b=12.0958(4) Å and c=17.8049(6) Å, solved from single-crystal data. It is perovskite-like with distorted corner-linked SnCl₆ octahedra and with ordered guanidinium cations in the distorted cuboctahedral voids. At 400 K the structure shows a first-order order-disorder phase transition. The space group is changed to Pnma with Z=4, a=12.1552(2) Å, b=8.8590(2) Å and c=8.0175(1) Å, solved from powder diffraction data and showing disordering of the guanidinium cations. At 419 K, the structure shows yet another first-order order-disorder transformation with disordering of the SnCl₃⁻ part. The space group symmetry is maintained as Pnma, with a=12.1786(2) Å, b=8.8642(2) Å and c=8.0821(2) Å. The thermodynamic parameters of these transitions and the p-T phase diagram have been determined and described.     

Disorder and phase transitions in oxyfluoride (NH4)3Ta(O2)2F4

Calorimetric, X-ray, dielectric and DTA under pressure measurements have been performed on oxyfluoride (NH₄)₃Ta(O₂)₂F₄. The succession of nonferroelectric phase transitions was found associated with the order-disorder processes. The comparative analysis tantalate with related niobate has revealed the important role of the central atom in the physical properties behavior, mechanism of structural distortions and barocaloric effect in oxyfluorides with the eight-coordinated anionic polyhedra.     

Crystal structures and phase transitions of Sr2CrSbO6

Sr₂CrSbO₆ was synthesized by the conventional solid-state reaction process. X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and neutron powder diffraction (NPD) has been used to reinvestigate the structure at room temperature and to study the phase transitions at high- and low-temperature. Rietveld analysis revealed that Sr₂CrSbO₆ crystallizes at room temperature in a monoclinic system having a space group I2/m, with a=5.5574(1) Å; b=5.5782(1) Å; c=7.8506(2) Å and β=90.06(2), no P2₁/n space group as was previously reported. The high-temperature study (300-870 K) has shown that the compound presents the following temperature induced phase-transition sequence: I2/m-I4/m-Fm-3m. The low-temperature study (100-300 K) demonstrated that the room-temperature I2/m monoclinic symmetry seems to be stable down to 100 K.     

Crystal structure, phase relations and electrochemical properties of monoclinic Li2MnSiO4

Phase relations in the MnO-SiO₂-Li₄SiO₄ subsystem have been investigated by X-ray diffraction after solid-state reactions in hydrogen at 950-1150 °C. Both cation-deficient and cation-excess solid solutions Li_2+2xMn_1−xSiO₄ (−0.2?x?0.2) based on Li₂MnSiO₄ have been found. According to Rietveld analysis, Li₂MnSiO₄ (monoclinic, P2₁/n, a=6.3368(1), b=10.9146(2), c=5.0730(1) Å, β=90.987(1)°) is isostructural with γ_II-Li₂ZnSiO₄ and low-temperature Li₂MgSiO₄. All components are in tetrahedral environment, (MnSiO₄)²⁻ framework is built of four-, six- and eight-member rings of tetrahedra. Testing Li₂MnSiO₄ in an electrochemical cell showed that only 4% Li could be extracted between 3.5 and 5 V against Li metal. These results are discussed in comparison with those for recently reported orthorhombic layered Li₂MnSiO₄ and other tetrahedral Li₂MXO₄ phases.     

Crystal structure and phase transformations of calcium yttrium orthophosphate, Ca3Y(PO4)3

Crystal structure and phase transformations of calcium yttrium orthophosphate Ca₃Y(PO₄)₃ were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction, selected-area electron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and optical microscopy. The high-temperature phase is isostructural with eulytite, cubic (space group ) with a=0.983320(5) nm, V=0.950790(8) nm³, Z=4 and D_x=3.45 Mg m⁻³. The crystal structure was refined with a split-atom model, in which the oxygen atoms are distributed over two partially occupied sites. Below the stable temperature range of eulytite, the crystal underwent a martensitic transformation, which is accompanied by the formation of platelike surface reliefs. The inverted crystal is triclinic (space group P1) with a=1.5726(1) nm, b=0.84267(9) nm, c=0.81244(8) nm, α=109.739(4)°, β=90.119(5)°, γ=89.908(7)°, V=1.0134(1) nm³, Z=4 and D_x=3.24 Mg m⁻³. The crystal grains were composed of pseudo-merohedral twins. The adjacent twin domains were related by the pseudo-symmetry mirror planes parallel to with the composition surface . When the eulytite was cooled relatively slowly from the stable temperature range, the decomposition reaction of Ca₃Y(PO₄)₃→β-Ca₃(PO₄)₂+YPO₄ occurred.     

Pressure-induced phase transitions in multiferroic RbFe(MoO4)2—Raman scattering study

High pressure Raman scattering experiments were performed on RbFe(MoO₄)₂. These experiments revealed that two phase transitions take place in RbFe(MoO₄)₂ at very low pressures, i.e. between ambient pressure and 0.2 GPa and between 0.4 and 0.7 GPa. Raman results showed that at the first phase transition the room temperature P3?m1 phase transforms into the P3? phase, which is also observed at ambient pressure below 190 K. The second pressure-induced phase transition occurs into a low symmetry phase of unknown symmetry. The performed lattice dynamics calculations for the P3?m1 phase and ab initio calculation of the structural changes under hydrostatic pressure helped us to get better insights into the mechanism of the observed phase transitions.     

Crystal structure and structural disorder of (Ba0.65Ca0.35)2SiO4

Crystal structure and structural disorder of (Ba_0.65Ca_0.35)₂SiO₄ were investigated by laboratory X-ray powder diffraction (CuKα₁). The initial structural model with eleven independent atoms in the unit cell was determined using direct methods, and it was further modified to a split-atom model, in which the two types of Ba/Ca atoms and two types of SiO₄ tetrahedra were, respectively, positionally and orientationally disordered. The crystal structure is trigonal (space group , Z=4) with lattice dimensions a=0.57505(1) nm, c=1.46706(2) nm and V=0.42014(1) nm³. The validity of the structural model was verified by the three-dimensional electron density distribution, the structural bias of which was reduced as much as possible using the maximum-entropy methods-based pattern fitting (MPF). The final reliability indices calculated from the MPF were R_wp=9.56% (S=1.48), R_p=7.29%, R_B=1.82% and R_F=0.88%. This compound is most probably homeotypic to glaserite.     

Crystal structures and thermal properties of Ba(1,2,4-t-Bu3C5H2)2 and Sr(1,2,4-t-Bu3C5H2)2: Precursors for atomic layer deposition

Sterically hindered Lewis base free bis(1,2,4-tri-tert-butylcyclopentadienyl)strontium (1) and bis(1,2,4-tri-tert-butylcyclopentadienyl)barium (2) were synthesized using the common metathesis route and characterized with NMR, MS, TGA/SDTA and XRD. Compound 1 crystallized as a monomer with typical bent structure. Asymmetric unit contains two independent slightly different Sr(t-Bu₃C₅H₂)₂ molecules with Cp(centroid)-Sr-Cp(centroid) angles of 165.1° and 169.4°. Depending on the way of crystallization two polymorphs (2a and 2b) were observed for Ba(t-Bu₃C₅H₂)₂. On sublimation Ba(t-Bu₃C₅H₂)₂ crystallizes as chains in which one methyl group of each Ba(t-Bu₃C₅H₂)₂ unit interacts with neighboring Ba(t-Bu₃C₅H₂)₂ unit’s barium atom. Slow crystallization of waxy evaporation residue of toluene solution results in monoclinic crystals (2b) whose asymmetric unit contains four slightly different individual Ba(t-Bu₃C₅H₂)₂ molecules with Cp(centroid)-Ba-Cp(centroid) angles of 161.3-164.9°. Both compounds prepared are volatile, thermally stable and reactive and thus suitable precursors for atomic layer deposition of thin films.     

Polymorphism in PbBiOXO4 compounds (X=V, P, As): Part II—PbBiOPO4 and PbBiOAsO4 structures and characterization of related solid solutions

Reinvestigation of PbBiOXO₄ (X=V, P, As) thermal behaviour revealed a phase transition for V- and P-compounds, but no transition for the As-compound. As shown by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and high-resolution neutron powder diffraction, α-PbBiOVO₄ transforms to β-PbBiOVO₄ at 550 °C. The two PbBiOPO₄ varieties are isomorph to the vanadate forms, while PbBiOAsO₄ adopts the β-type structure whatever the temperature. PbBiP_1−xOAs_xO₄ and PbBiV_1−xOM_xO₄ (M=As, P, Cr, Mn) solid solutions display both triclinic and monoclinic domains, and the α→β transition temperature is a function of the substitution rate. The ionic conductivity of these compounds was investigated by impedance spectroscopy. The analysis of free space in the β-PbBiOVO₄ structure allows to propose a one-dimensional oxygen diffusion pathway along [010] when the temperature increases.     

Pressure-induced phase transitions in Al2(WO4)3

The high pressure behavior of aluminum tungstate [Al₂(WO₄)₃] has been investigated up to ∼18 GPa with the help of Raman scattering studies. Our results confirm the recent observations of two reversible phase transitions below 3 GPa. In addition, we find that this compound undergoes two more phase transitions at ∼5.3 and ∼6 GPa before transforming irreversibly to an amorphous phase at ∼14 GPa.     

Crystal structures of phosphomolybdyl salts: Pb(MoO2)2(PO4)2 and Ba(MoO2)2(PO4)2

Crystal structures of Pb(MoO₂)₂(PO₄)₂ and Ba(MoO₂)₂(PO₄)₂ were determined. Both compounds contain the molybdyl group MoO₂. The monoclinic unit-cell parameters are a = 6.353(7), b = 12.289(4), c = 11.800 Å, β = 92°56(6), and Z = 4 for the lead salt and a = 6.383(8), b = 7.142(7), c = 9.953(8) Å, β = 95°46(8), and Z = 2 for the barium salt. $\text{P2}{}_1\text{c}$ is the common space group. The R values are respectively R = 0.027 and R = 0.031 for 1964 and 1714 independent reflections. The frameworks built up by a three-dimensional network of monophosphate PO₄ and molybdyl MoO₂ groups are similar, characterized mainly by corner-sharing PO₄ and MoO₆ polyhedra. Two oxygen atoms of each MoO₆ group are bonded to the molybdenum atom only as in other molybdyl salts.     

Excess properties of the (Ln2−2xCaxThx)(PO4)2 (Ln = La, Ce) solid solutions

X-ray powder diffraction at room temperature and drop calorimetry at T = 1005 K were performed on LnPO₄–CaTh(PO₄)₂ (Ln = La, Ce) solid solutions. The results show excess molar volume and excess enthalpy indicating deviations from ideal behaviour that have been interpreted in terms of lattice strains resulting from the ion size effects of substitution of the Ln³⁺ with (Ca²⁺ + Th⁴⁺).     

A Raman spectroscopic study of the phase transition of BaZr(PO4)2: Evidence for a trigonal structure of the high-temperature polymorph

We have studied the structural evolution of monoclinic BaZr(PO₄)₂ during heating up to 835 K by Raman spectroscopy. In agreement with previous studies we found a first-order phase transition at about 730 K during heating while upon cooling the reverse transition occurs at 705 K. However, some disagreement about the crystal structure of the high-temperature polymorph occurs in the literature. While the space group has not yet been determined, the X-ray diffraction pattern of the high-temperature phase has been indexed on either an orthorhombic or a hexagonal unit cell. We found that the number of Raman active internal PO₄ vibrational modes decrease from nine to six during the transition. A group theoretical survey through all orthorhombic, trigonal, and hexagonal factor groups revealed that the observed number of vibrations would only be consistent with the Ba and Zr atoms located at a site, the P and two O atoms at a C_3v(3m), and six O atoms at a C_s(m) site in the D_3d factor group. Based on our Raman data, the space group of the high-temperature polymorph is thus either , , or .     

Syntheses, crystal structures and Si solubilities of new layered carbides Zr2Al4C5 and Zr3Al4C6

Two types of new ternary carbides, Zr₂Al₄C₅ and Zr₃Al₄C₆, have been synthesized and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction. The crystal structures were refined from laboratory X-ray powder diffraction data (CuKα₁) using the Rietveld method. These carbides form a homologous series with the general formula (ZrC)_mAl₄C₃ (m=2 and 3). The crystal structures can be regarded as intergrowth structures where the Al₄C₃-type [Al₄C₄] layers are the same, while the NaCl-type [Zr_mC_m+1] layers increase in thickness with increasing m value. The new carbides are most probably the end members of continuous solid-solutions (ZrC)_m[Al_4−xSi_x]C₃ with 0?x?0.44.     

Crystal structures of lanthanide and zirconium phosphates with general formula Ln0.33Zr2(PO4)3, where Ln=Ce, Eu, Yb

Crystal structures of synthetic phosphates Ce_0.33Zr₂(PO₄)₃, Eu_0.33Zr₂(PO₄)₃ and Yb_0.33Zr₂(PO₄)₃ have been refined by Rietveld method using powder diffraction data. Unit cell parameters: a=8.7419 (4), c=23.128 (2) Å; a=8.7659 (1), c=22.822 (1) Å; a=8.8078 (4), c=22.485 (3) Å, respectively; Z=6. Values of final R-factors in isotropic approximation: R_wp=4.00, R_wp=3.33, R_wp=4.12%, respectively. New space group P3¯c has been established for the compounds with general formula Ln_0.33Zr₂(PO₄)₃, where Ln=Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu and Y. It has been confirmed that the synthetic phosphates with general formula Ln_0.33Zr₂(PO₄)₃ belong to the NZP (sodium zirconium phosphate) structure type.     

High-pressure structural evolution of a perovskite solid solution (La1−x,Ndx)GaO3

The structural evolution with pressure of six perovskites in the system La_1−xNd_xGaO₃ with x=0.00, 0.06, 0.12, 0.20, 0.62 and 1.00 have been determined by single-crystal diffraction. At room pressure, all six samples have Pbnm symmetry. The room-pressure bulk moduli vary only slightly with composition, between K_0T=169(4) and 177(2) GPa, with . As pressure is increased there is significant compression of the octahedral Ga–O bonds, the tilts of the GaO₆ octahedra decrease and the structures evolve towards higher symmetry. At room conditions the average Ga–O bond length increases with increasing compositional parameter x. However, the GaO₆ become stiffer with increasing x; the Ga–O bonds thus become stiffer as they become longer. Bond strengths in the octahedra in perovskites are therefore not a simple function of bond lengths but depend also upon the extra-framework cation.Phase transitions to R-3c symmetry occur at 2.2 GPa in end-member LaGaO₃, at 5.5 GPa in the x=0.06 sample, at 7.8 GPa for x=0.12, and at 12 GPa for x=0.20. No evidence of the transition in the x=0.62 or 1.00 samples was found by X-ray diffraction to 9.4 or 8.0 GPa, respectively, or by Raman measurements of NdGaO₃ up to 16 GPa. The transition pressure therefore increases with increasing Nd content (increasing x) at approximately 0.45 GPa per 0.01 increment in x, at least up to x=0.20. Compression of the R-3c phase of LaGaO₃ above the transition results in no significant changes in the tilt angle of the octahedra. The structural behavior of all six samples at high pressures is the result of the GaO₆ octahedra being softer than the extra-framework (La, Nd)O₁₂ site. The results therefore demonstrate that the evolution of solid-solution perovskites at high pressures follow the same general principles recently elucidated for end-member compositions.     

Pressure induced phase transformation in U2O(PO4)2

The high pressure behavior of U₂O(PO₄)₂ has been investigated with the help of Raman scattering and X-ray diffraction measurements up to ∼14 and 6.5 GPa, respectively. The observed changes in the Raman spectra as well as the X-ray diffraction patterns suggest that U₂O(PO₄)₂ undergoes a phase transition at ∼6 GPa to a mixture of a disordered ambient pressure phase and a new high pressure phase. The new phase resembles the triclinic mixed-valence phase of uranium orthophosphate (U(UO₂)(PO₄)₂). On release of pressure the initial phase is not retrieved.