Laser Raman study of phase transformations in [N(CH3)4]2ZnCI4 single crystals

We report temperature-dependent Raman studies on single crystals of [N(CH₃)₄]₂ZnCI₄ from 300 to 10 K. The observed spectral features suggest that both the N(CH₃)₄ ⁺ and ZnCl^2- ₄ ions are distorted from their regular tetrahedral structure and occupy sites of C_s symmetry in the lattice at room temperature. From the variation of line width of some selected Raman bands and other spectral changes as a function of temperature, it is inferred that both the ZnCl^2- ₄ and—CH₃ groups have high motional freedom at room temperature and the different phase transitions up to 160 K are triggered by the gradual freezing-in of orientational freedom of these groups, while the N—C₄ tetrahedra do not play any significant role in these phase transitions. The monoclinic to orthorhombic superlattice phase transitions at 159 K is triggered by freezing-in of the orientational motions of both the ZnCl^2- ₄ and N(CH₃)⁺ ₄ groups in the lattice.     

1H NMR study of [N(CH3)4]2ZnCI4 at high pressures and low temperatures

Wide-line proton NMR studies on polycrystalline tetramethylammonium tetrachlorozincate have been carried out at high hydrostatic pressures up to 15 kbar in the temperature range 77-300 K and at ambient pressure down to 4.2 K. A second-moment transition is observed to occur starting around 161 K, the temperature for the V-VI phase transition. This transition temperature is seen to have a negative pressure coefficient up to 2 kbar, beyond which it changes sign. At 77 K the second moment decreases to 4 kbar and then increases again as a function of pressure. The results are explained in terms of the dynamics of the N(CH₃)₄ groups.     

Temperature dependence of soliton density in the incommensurate phase of [N(CH3)4]2ZnCl4 crystals

The successive phase transitions of [N(CH₃)₄]₂ZnCl₄ have been investigated by EPR in a Mn²⁺ doped-sample. The temperature change in the resonance line shape near the commensurate-incommensurate transition temperature was analysed by a one-dimensional phase soliton model, so that the soliton density, modulation amplitude and initial phase were determined. The discommensuration phenomenon was also observed and discussed in terms of the domain wall resulting from the soliton.     

14N NMR study and Landau theory of phase transitions in [N(CH3)4]2ZnI4

The¹⁴N NMR spectra and spin-lattice relaxation timeT ₁ of [N(CH₃)₄]₂ZnI₄ have been studied between room temperature and 200 K. Two phase transitions atT _c 1=255 K and atT _c 1=217 K are observed. The¹⁴N NMR lineshape andT ₁ data suggest that the intermediate phase is commensurate rather than incommensurate in spite of the presence of a Lifshitz invariant in the expansion of the free energy density in powers of the order parameter. We also discuss the phenomenological theory of structural phase transitions in [N(CH₃)₄]₂ZnI₄.     

Infrared Studies on Structural Phase Transition in [N(CH3)4]3Bi2Br9

Abstract

FT-IR (4000 - 400 cm^?1) spectroscopy was used for the study of the phase transition at 183 K in [N(CH₃]₄]₃Bi₂Br₉. The changes in the spectra confirmed the presence of the phase transition of first order type at 183 K. The most spectacular changes in the vicinity of the phase transition are found for the stretching CH3 and skeletal NC4 modes. The mechanism of the phase transition of the order-disorder type is believed to be connected with the reorientation motions of the tetramethylammonium cation.     

Phase transitions in [NH(CH3)3]2MeCl4 (Me = Cd,Zn,Cu) crystals

Dielectric properties of the new [NH(CH₃)₃]₂ZnCl₄ and [NH(CH₃)₃]₂CdCl₄ crystals from the [(CH₃) _n NH_4-n ]₂MeCl₄ group have been investigated in a wide temperature range (4.2–320 K). A series of phase transitions has been discovered at T₃ = 325 K,T₄ = 251 K,T₅ = 193 K, for [NH(CH₃)₃]₂CdCl₄ and at T₃ = 309 K, T₄ = 282 K, T₅ = 269 K for [NH(CH₃)₃]₂ZnCl₄. A ferroelectric phase has been discovered in the temperature interval T₄—T₅ from the temperature and frequency dependence of the dielectric permittivity ε(T, v). According to optical investigations the existence of ferroelastic phases in the temperature interval T₁ = 349 K–T₂ = 391 K and below T₅ for [NH(CH₃)₃]₂CdCl₄ and both above T₃ and below T₅ for [NH(CH₃)₃]₂ZnCl₄ has been ascertained.     

81Br NQR Study of [NH3(CH2) n NH3]CdBr4 (n = 4 and 5) and [NH3(CH2) n NH3]ZnBr4 (n = 5 and 6)

⁸¹Br NQR frequencies and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were measured as a function of temperature. [NH₃(CH₂)₄ NH₃]CdBr₄ (1) and [NH₃(CH₂)₅NH₃]CdBr₄ (2) showed a doublet and quartet ⁸¹Br NQR spectrum, respectively. [NH₃(CH₂)₅NH₃]ZnBr₄ (3) and [NH₃(CH₂)₆NH₃]ZnBr₄ (4) exhibited a four-line ⁸¹Br NQR spectrum. From the NQR results, it is inferred that (1) and (2) consist of infinite two-dimensional sheets of corner-sharing CdBr₆ octahedra, whereas (3) and (4) have isolated [ZnBr₄]²⁻ tetrahedra. All of the crystals except (1) showed at least one structural phase transition above 380 K.     

Theoretical pressure-temperature phase diagram for [N(CH3)4]2CuCl4

The pressure-temperature phase diagram for a [N(CH₃)₄]₂CuCl₄ crystal has been theoretically constructed using the phenomenological approach developed earlier. The relationships for the thermodynamic potentials of different phases and the boundaries between these phases are derived. The theoretical and experimental diagrams are in reasonable agreement. The approximations and assumptions made in the construction of the diagrams are discussed.     

Electrical properties and conduction mechanism of [N(C2H5)4][N(CH3)4]CuCl4 compound

The [N(CH₃)₄][N(C₂H₅)₄]CuCl₄ single crystal has been synthetized in order to determinate the temperatures transition and to study the electrical properties and the conduction mechanism. At room temperature, this compound crystallizes in the tetragonal system with P-42₁m space group. The calorimetric study shows three anomalies at 248, 284 and 326 K. Electrical conduction and dielectrical relaxation mechanisms at various frequencies and temperatures were analyzed by impedance spectroscopy and the equivalent circuit based on the Z-View-software was proposed. The variation of f_p relaxation determinate by the modulus study and σ_dc specific to the AC conductivity as a function of temperature and confirm the all transitions for our sample. The values of the activation energy are determined and compared by those, which are found in the similar compound. Frequencies dependence of alternative current (AC) conductivity is interpreted in terms of Jonscher's law and the conduction mechanisms for each phase are determined with the Elliot's theory.     

Analysis of incommensurate structure in [N(CH3)4]2ZnCL4 crystal

We analyzed the temperature dependence of the amplitude of modulated structures of [N(CH₃)₄]₂ZnCl₄ crystal in the incommensurate (INC) phase by measuring the EPR spectra for Mn²⁺ doped single crystal. The amplitude of the vibrational modulation linearly increased with decreasing temperature. Applying Frank and Van der Merwe model, we simulated the EPR spectra in the INC phase. The simulated spectra agreed with the observed one very well. We, therefore, revealed that the vibrational modulation in this INC phase is due to the interaction between the harmonic chain of inter-particles and the modulation due to underlying potential which comes from the commensurate structure.     

Mixed alkali metal selenate proton conductors: Phase transitions and crystal structure of [Rb0.54(Nh4)0.46]3H(SeO4)2

Optical birefringence, calorimetric, thermal expansion, powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction investigations of mixed proton conductors [Rb_1-x(NH₄)_x]₃H(SeO₄)₂ were performed with the aim of studying the influence of partial substitution of cations on the superprotonic phase transition, on the atomic structure and on other characteristic features of this type of crystals.     

Dielectric studies of the phase transition in {N(CH3)4}2HgCl4

Dielectric properties of single-crystal {N(CH₃)₄}₂HgCl₄ (structure at room temperature; orthorhombic Pmcn) have been measured in a temperature range from 4 K to about 370 K. The dielectric constant along the a-, b-, and c-axes shows a break at 278 K. No other anomalies are detected in the temperature range studied. The transition temperature increases linearly with increasing hydrostatic pressure at a rate of 0.20 K/MPa. Twin boundaries are observed in the low-temperature phase on b-plate specimens. The results indicate that the phase transition in {N(CH₃)₄}₂HgCl₄ is ferroelastic, as in {N(CH₃)₄}₂XBr₄ (X: Mn, Co, Zn).     

Dielectric dispersion in the incommensurate phases of [N(CH3)4]2CoCl4 and [N(CH3)4]2ZnCl4

The complex dielectric permittivity ?(ω) of [N(CH₃)₄]₂CoCl₄ and [N(CH₃)₄]₂ZnCl₄ along the a-axis was measured between 0.35 MHz and 100 MHz. It has been found that for both substances the relaxation frequencies are about 5 MHz at T_c. The dielectric relaxation of both substances could be described by a polydispersive process β = 0.74 in the vicinity of T_c. However, for the temperature region of (T?T_c) > 0.6 for [N(CH₃)₄]₂CoCl₄ the dielectric absorption seems to be rather monodispersive.     

Specific Features of Light Scattering in [N(CH3)4]2CuCl4 Crystals with an Incommensurable Phase

We present the results of investigation of the optical birefringence and intensity of the main light beam that passed through an [N(CH₃)₄]₂CuCl₄ crystal under the conditions of viscous interaction of the incommensurable structure with defects. A nonmonotonic temperature dependence of the basic signal is revealed. The observed temperature dependence of the intensity (in the form of irregular steps) is related to different periods of the incommensurable structure. In transitions between adjacent metastable states the periodicity of the incommensurable structure changes. It is shown that in transition regions for the central beam one observes an anomalous decrease in the light intensity due to the appearance of a perturbation lattice with the wave vector q.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance in [N(CH3)4]2CoCl4 single crystals: transferred hyperfine interaction and spin-lattice relaxation rate

The molecular susceptibility and paramagnetic shift of [N(CH₃)₄]₂CoCl₄ single crystals were measured, and from these experimental results we obtained the transferred hyperfine interaction, H_hf, due to the transfer of spin density from Co²⁺ ions to [N(CH₃)₄]⁺ ions. The transferred hyperfine interaction can be expressed as a linear equation, with H_hf increasing with increasing temperature. The remarkable change in H_hf near T_c5 (=192 K) corresponds to a phase transition. The proton spin-lattice relaxation times of [N(CH₃)₄]₂CoCl₄ single crystals were also investigated, and it was found that the relaxation process can be described by a single exponential function. The variation of the relaxation time with temperature undergoes a remarkable change near T_c5, confirming the presence of a phase transition at that temperature. From the above results, we conclude that the increase in H_hf with increasing temperature is large enough to allow the transfer of spin density between Co²⁺ ions and the nuclear spins of the nonmagnetic [N(CH₃)₄]⁺ ions in the lattice, and thus the increase in the relaxation time with temperature is attributed to an increase in the transferred hyperfine field.     

Theoretical investigation of EPR and optical spectra of Mo(V) in [Mo6O19][N(C4H9)4]3 salt

The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectral data (the g factors and hyperfine structure constants) and d–d transition spectra for the tetragonal Mo⁵⁺ centre in [Mo₆O₁₉][N(C₄H₉)₄]₃ salt are theoretically investigated from the complete diagonalization method (CDM) for a 4d¹ ion in tetragonally compressed octahedron. The theoretical results are in good agreement with the experimental data. The dependency of the g factors of the ground state on the R_∥(MoO bond length) has been studied. It is shown that the g factors varied with the R_∥ approximately in a linear way.     

NQR, NMR and Crystal Structure Studies of [C(NH2)3]2HgX4 (X = Br, I)

The crystal structure of [C(NH₂)₃]₂HgBr₄ has been determined at room temperature: monoclinic, space group C2/c, with a = 10.035(2), b = 11.164(2), c = 13.358(3) Å, β = 111.67(3)°, and Z = 4. The crystal consists of planar [C(NH₂)₃]⁺ and distorted tetrahedral [HgBr₄]^2? ions. The Hg atom is located on a two-fold axis such that two sets of inequivalent Br atoms exist in an [HgBr₄]^2? ion. In accordance with the crystal structure, two ⁸¹Br NQR lines widely separated in frequency were observed between 77 and ca. 380 K. [C(NH₂)₃]₂HgI₄ yielded four ¹²⁷I NQR lines ascribable to m = ±1/2 ? ±3/2 transitions, indicating that its crystal structure is different from the bromide complex. The ¹H NMR T ₁ measurements showed a single minimum for the bromide but two minima for the iodide. The analyses based on the C₃ reorientations of the planar [C(NH₂)₃]⁺ ions gave the activation energies of 29.8 kJ mol^?1 for the bromide, and 30.2 and 40.0 kJ mol^?1 for the iodide.     

A study on the structural phase transitions of ferroelastic [N(CH3)4]2CuCl4 from microhardness measurements

Measurements of Vickers microhardness (MHv) as a function of temperature has been carried out on [N(CH₃)₄]₂CuCl₄ single crystals. The suitability of this technique for the determination of transition temperatures in the paraelastic-incommensurate→ferroelastic (commensurate) phase transitions sequence is shown.     

Crystal growth and related dielectric prperties of two ferroelectric–incommensurate systems: Rb2ZnCl4 and [N(CH3)4]2ZnCl4

We report the results of the dielectric measurements performed on Rb₂ZnCl₄ and [N(CH₃)₄]₂ZnCl₄ crystals grown by various methods. The dielectric constant along the ferroelectric axis shows a large thermal hysteresis: it is connected with the presence of various defects which appear during and after the crystal growth.