Spin dimer analysis of the anisotropic spin exchange interactions in the distorted wolframite-type oxides CuWO4, CuMoO4-III, and Cu(Mo(0.25)W0.75)O4

The distorted wolframite-type oxides CuWO4 and CuMoO4-III have a structure in which CuO4 zigzag chains, made up of cis-edge-sharing CuO6 octahedra, run along the c-direction and hence exhibit low-dimensional magnetic properties. We examined the magnetic structures of these compounds and their isostructural analogue Cu(Mo(0.25)W0.75)O4 on the basis of the spin-orbital interaction energies calculated for their spin dimers. Our study shows that these compounds consist of two-dimensional (2D) magnetic sheets defined by one superexchange (intrachain Cu-O-Cu) and three super-superexchange (interchain Cu-O.O-Cu) paths, the strongly interacting spin units of these 2D magnetic sheets are the two-leg antiferromagnetic (AFM) ladder chains running along the (a + c)-direction, and the spin arrangement between adjacent AFM ladder chains leads to spin frustration. The similarities and differences in the magnetic structures of CuWO4, CuMoO4-III, and Cu(Mo(0.25)W0.75)O4 were discussed by examining how adjacent AFM ladder chains are coupled via the superexchange paths in the 2D magnetic sheets and how adjacent 2D magnetic sheets are coupled via another superexchange paths along the c-direction. Our study reproduces the experimental finding that the magnetic unit cell is doubled along the a-axis in CuWO(4) and along the c-axis in CuMoO4-III and predicts that the magnetic unit cell should be doubled along the a- and b-axes in Cu(Mo(0.25)W0.75)O4. In the understanding of the strength of a super-superexchange interaction, the importance of the geometrical factors controlling the overlap between the tails of magnetic orbitals was pointed out.     

Comparison of the spin exchange interactions in PbCu2(PO4)2 and SrCu2(PO4)2 on the basis of spin dimer analysis

The spin exchange interactions of PbCu₂(PO₄)₂ were examined by performing the spin dimer analysis based on the extended Hückel tight-binding method, and were compared with those of SrCu₂(PO₄)₂. The two strongest Cu–O⋯O–Cu super–superexchange interactions, J₁ (with Cu⋯Cu = 5.868 Å) and J₂ (with Cu⋯Cu = 5.184 Å), are strong and lead to a linear-four-spin-cluster model for both PbCu₂(PO₄)₂ and SrCu₂(PO₄)₂. Adjacent linear-four-spin-clusters interact substantially in SrCu₂(PO₄)₂, but weakly in PbCu₂(PO₄)₂. The difference in the magnetization behaviors of the two compounds was examined by calculating the magnetic excitation energies of the linear-four-spin-cluster model.     

Theoretical investigation of the spin exchange interactions and magnetic properties of the homometallic ludwigite Fe(3)O(2)BO(3)

The homometallic ludwigite Fe(3)O(2)BO(3) has a complex structure made up of corner- and edge-sharing FeO(6) octahedra and exhibits a number of apparently puzzling magnetic properties. The reasons for these properties were probed by examining the trends in the spin exchange interactions of Fe(3)O(2)BO(3). To analyze the relative strengths of spin exchange interactions in such a complex magnetic solid, we first generalized the method of spin dimer analysis and then employed the resulting formulation to investigate how the magnetic properties of Fe(3)O(2)BO(3) are related to its reported crystal structures. The spin-orbital interaction energies calculated for various spin dimers of Fe(3)O(2)BO(3) provide estimates for the relative strengths of the associated spin exchange interactions, which in turn account for the observed magnetic properties of Fe(3)O(2)BO(3).     

Spin dimer and classical spin analyses of the ordered magnetic structures of alkali iron pyrophosphates NaFeP(2)O(7) and LiFeP(2)O(7)

The magnetic oxides NaFeP(2)O(7) and LiFeP(2)O(7), made up of FeO(6) octahedra containing high-spin Fe(3+)(d(5)) ions, undergo a three-dimensional antiferromagnetic ordering at low temperatures. The strengths of various Fe-O...O-Fe super-superexchange interactions of NaFeP(2)O(7) and LiFeP(2)O(7) were estimated on the basis of spin dimer analysis to probe the nature of their ordered magnetic structures. It is found that the critical factor governing the strength of a Fe-O...O-Fe super-superexchange interaction is not the Fe...Fe distance but the O...O distance. Using the spin exchange parameters thus obtained, the total spin exchange interaction energies were calculated for various ordered spin arrangements of NaFeP(2)O(7) and LiFeP(2)O(7) on the basis of classical spin analysis to confirm that the observed magnetic structures are the magnetic ground states.     

Flux growth of vanadyl pyrophosphate, (VO)(2)P(2)O(7), and spin dimer analysis of the spin exchange interactions of (VO)(2)P(2)O(7) and vanadyl hydrogen phosphate,VO(HPO(4)).0.5H(2)O

Large transparent blue crystals of vanadyl pyrophosphate, (VO)(2)P(2)O(7), were grown from a phosphorus pentoxide flux, and the single-crystal X-ray structure of (VO)(2)P(2)O(7) was determined with high precision. On the basis of spin dimer analysis, we examined the spin exchange interactions of (VO)(2)P(2)O(7) and its precursor VO(HPO(4)).0.5H(2)O. Our analysis of (VO)(2)P(2)O(7) using two high-precision crystal structures shows unambiguously that the V3-V4 chain has a larger spin gap than does the V1-V2 chain and that the super-superexchange (V-O...O-V) interaction is stronger than the superexchange (V-O-V) interaction in the V3-V4 chain while the opposite is true in the V1-V2 chain. Our analysis of VO(HPO(4)).0.5H(2)O reveals that the superexchange interaction must dominate over the super-superexchange interaction, in disagreement with the conclusion from a powder neutron scattering study of VO(DPO(4)).0.5D(2)O.     

Effect of metal-ligand bond lengths on superexchange interactions in Jahn-Teller d(4) ion systems: spin dimer analysis of the magnetic structure of marokite CaMn(2)O(4)

In marokite CaMn(2)O(4), all six Mn-O bonds of each MnO(6) octahedron are different because of the Jahn-Teller distortion so that every Mn(3+) (d(4)) ion has six different superexchange interactions with its neighboring Mn(3+) ions. The spin exchange interactions of CaMn(2)O(4) were examined on the basis of spin dimer analysis to find what geometrical parameters of the Mn-O-Mn superexchange paths control the signs and strengths of their spin exchange interactions. Our work correctly describes the magnetic structure of CaMn(2)O(4) observed from neutron powder diffraction measurements and shows that the antiferromagnetic interactions of the Mn-O-Mn paths depend primarily on the asymmetry and the Mn-O bond length of the Mn-O-Mn bridge, but not on the 90 degree angle Mn-O-Mn bond angle.     

Investigation of the spin exchange interactions and magnetic Structures of the CrVO4-type transition metal phosphates,sulfates, and vanadates by spin dimer analysis

The CrVO(4)-type magnetic oxides MM'O(4) consist of edge-sharing MO(4) octahedral chains condensed with M'O(4) tetrahedra and exhibit a wide variety of magnetic structures. The magnetic properties of these oxides were examined by studying their spin exchange interactions on the basis of spin dimer analysis. The nature and magnitudes of the intra- and interchain spin exchange interactions depend on the square-to-rectangle distortion in the basal planes of the MO(4) chain and on the difference between the M 3d and O 2p orbital energies. The spiral magnetic structures of beta-CrPO(4) and MnSO(4) originate from the pseudohexagonal arrangement of the MO(4) chains and the frustrated interchain antiferromagnetic interactions.     

Importance of supersuperexchange interactions in determining the dimensionality of magnetic properties. Determination of strongly interacting spin exchange paths in A(2)Cu(PO(4))(2) (A = Ba, Sr), ACuP(2)O(7) (Ba, Ca, Sr, Pb), CaCuGe(2)O(6), and Cu(2)UO(2)(PO(4))(2) on the basis of qualitative spin dimer analysis

The patterns of the Cu(2+) ion arrangements in the magnetic oxides A(2)Cu(PO(4))(2) (A = Ba, Sr), ACuP(2)O(7) (Ba, Ca, Sr, Pb), CaCuGe(2)O(6), and Cu(2)UO(2)(PO(4))(2) are quite different from the patterns of the strongly interacting spin exchange paths deduced from their magnetic properties. This apparently puzzling observation was explained by evaluating the strengths of the Cu-O-Cu superexchange and Cu-O...O-Cu supersuperexchange interactions of these oxides on the basis of qualitative spin dimer analysis. Supersuperexchange interactions are found to be crucial in determining the dimensionality of magnetic properties of these magnetic oxides.     

Spin dimer and mapping analyses of the magnetic properties of VO(CH3CO2)2 and VO(OCH2CH2O)

The spin exchange interactions of VO(CH₃CO₂)₂ and VO(OCH₂CH₂O) were investigated by performing spin dimer analysis based on tight binding calculations and mapping analysis based on first principles density functional theory calculations. In agreement with experiment, both analyses show that the magnetic properties of VO(CH₃CO₂)₂ and VO(OCH₂CH₂O) are best described by uniform antiferromagnetic one-dimensional chain and isolated antiferromagnetic dimer models, respectively. Our study shows that the nearest-neighbor spin exchange in the one-dimensional chains of VO₅ square pyramids in VO(CH₃CO₂)₂ is mediated by the C 2p_π orbital of the carboxylate group, and that the cis spin dimers of VO(OCH₂CH₂O) provide strong antiferromagnetic spin exchange than do the trans spin dimers of VO(OCH₂CH₂O).     

Structure and magnetic ordering of KxH1-xNi(OH2)4[Ru2(CO3)4].zH2O

K(x)H(1-x)Ni(OH2)4[Ru2(CO3)4].zH2O is a ferrimagnet (Tc = 4.3 K) formed from the reaction of K3[Ru(II/III)2(CO3)4] and Ni(II) in water. It possesses a new 3-D network structural motif composed of linked chains and mu3-CO3 linkages to both Ru and Ni sites. Each Ni(II) bonds to four oxygens and to two [Ru2(CO3)4]3- moieties in a cis manner, and four mu3-CO3 groups from each [Ru2(CO3)4](3-) have two oxygens bonding to the Ru2 moiety, forming the typical paddle-wheel core, and trans pairs of the third CO32- oxygen axially bonded to either another Ru2 or Ni(II).     

Cu(HCO2)2(pym) (pym = pyrimidine): low-dimensional magnetic behavior and long-range ordering in a quantum-spin lattice

We synthesized and structurally and magnetically characterized the novel 3D coordination polymer Cu(HCO2)2(pym) (pym = pyrimidine). The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c with a = 14.4639(8) A, b = 7.7209(4) A, c = 8.5172(5) A, beta = 126.076(2) degrees, and V= 768.76(7) A3. In the structure buckled layers of Cu(HCO2)2 are interconnected by pym ligands to afford 1D Cu-pym-Cu chains. Bulk magnetic susceptibility measurements show a broad maximum at 25 K that is indicative of short-range magnetic ordering. Between 12 and 300 K a least-squares fit of the chi(T) data to a mean-field-corrected antiferromagnetic chain model yielded excellent agreement for g = 2.224(3), J/kB = -26.9(2) K, and zJ'/kB = -1.1(3) K. Below approximately 3 K a transition to long-range magnetic ordering is observed, as suggested by a sharp and sudden decrease in chi(T). This result is corroborated by muon spin relaxation measurements that show oscillations in the muon asymmetry below T(N) = 2.802(1) K and rapidly fluctuating moments above T(N).     

Synthesis of Fe3O4, Fe2O3, Ag/Fe3O4 and Ag/Fe2O3 nanoparticles and their electrocatalytic properties

Two important iron oxides:Fe3O4 and Fe2O3,as well as Fe3O4 and Fe2O3 nanoparticles mingling with Ag were successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal procedure.The samples were confirmed and characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD),and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS).The morphology of the samples was observed by transmission electron microscopy(TEM).The results indicated Fe3O4,Fe2O3,Ag/Fe3O4 and Ag/Fe2O3 samples all were nanoparticles with smaller sizes.The samples were modified on a glassy carbon electrode and their elctrocatalytic properties for p-nitrophenol in a basic solution were investigated.The results revealed all the samples showed enhanced catalytic performances by comparison with a bare glassy carbon electrode.Furthermore,p-nitrophenol could be reduced at a lower peak potential or a higher peak current on a glassy carbon electrode modified with Ag/Fe3O4 or Ag/Fe2O3 composite nanoparticles.     

Nuclear and magnetic structures and magnetic properties of the layered cobalt hydroxysulfate Co5(OH)6(SO4)2(H2O)4 and its deuterated analogue, Co5(OD)6(SO4)2(D2O)4

The structures (nuclear and magnetic), magnetic properties (2-300 K, 1-10(4) bar), and heat capacity of the layered ferromagnet Co5(OH)6(SO4)2(H2O)4 are reported. The crystal structure consists of brucite-like M(II)-OH layers of edge-sharing octahedra, but having two different Co sites, which are pillared by ...O3SO-Co(H2O)4-OSO3.... The absorption spectrum confirms the presence of divalent Co, and by comparison of the two isotopic materials, the assignment of the vibrational spectra is proposed. The magnetic properties are those of a ferromagnet with a Curie temperature of 14 K. Temperature and field dependence magnetization data taken on an aligned sample suggest an easy-plane magnet. The Curie temperature increases linearly with pressure at a rate of +0.12 K/kbar, suggesting small progressive and uniform modifications of the Co-Co exchange interactions. Rietveld refinement of the neutron powder diffraction data and consideration of a group analysis reveal the direction of the moments of the Co within the layer to be along the b-axis, with a maximum moment of 3.33 micro(B) per cobalt. Those of the pillars remain random. Estimation of the entropy from the heat capacity data accounts for the presence of four ordered moments of Co with spin 1/2 at the long-range ordering temperature, while the moment of the pillaring Co contributes only at lower temperature due to the increase of the internal field as the temperature is lowered. The purely 2D-magnetic ordering in an easy-plane magnet, evidenced by neutron diffraction and heat capacity, challenges the existing theories and is a rare example of a single-layer magnet.     

On the relevance of an antiferromagnetic dimer model for the spin-gapped magnetic solids Cu(terpy)Mo2O7 and Cu(OH)(p-pyc)H2O

The magnetic solids Cu(terpy)Mo2O7 (terpy = terpyridine) and Cu(OH)(p-pyc)H2O (p-pyc = p-pyridinecarboxylate) have a spin gap and possess chains of Cu2+ ions in which two different Cu...Cu distances alternate. On the basis of their reported crystal structures, the spin-exchange interactions of these compounds were examined by performing spin dimer analysis to determine whether an antiferromagnetic dimer or an alternating antiferromagnetic chain model is appropriate for their magnetic properties. Our analysis shows that an antiferromagnetic dimer model is correct for both compounds because of the anisotropic overlap between the magnetic orbitals of their Cu2+ sites.     

Spin dimer analysis of the magnetic structures of A2V3O9 (A = Ba,Sr) and η-Na9V14O35: Importance of the V4+–O⋯O–V4+ super-superexchange interactions mediated by the O–V5+–O bridges

Spin dimer analysis was carried out for the magnetic oxides of V⁴⁺ (d¹) ions, A₂V₃O₉ (A = Ba, Sr) and η-Na₉V₁₄O₃₅, to account for their magnetic structures. After identifying the V(O_eq)₄ square planes containing the magnetic orbitals of the V⁴⁺ (d¹) ions, we analyzed the relative strengths of the various V–O_eq–V and V–O_eq⋯O_eq–V spin exchange interactions. The V–O_eq⋯O_eq–V spin exchange interactions mediated by O_eq–V⁵⁺–O_eq bridges are found to be crucial in determining the magnetic structures of A₂V₃O₉ (A = Ba, Sr) and η-Na₉V₁₄O₃₅. Our analysis suggests that η-Na₉V₁₄O₃₅ should have two different spin gaps.     

Ferromagnetism in malonato-bridged copper(II) complexes. Synthesis,crystal structures,and magnetic properties of [[Cu(H2O)3][Cu(mal)2(H2O)]]n and [[Cu(H2O)4]2[Cu(mal)2(H2O)]][Cu(mal)2(H2O)2][[Cu(H2O)4][Cu(mal)2(H2O)2][(H2mal = malonic acid)

Three malonato-bridged copper(II) complexes of the formulas [[Cu(H2O)3][Cu(C3H2O4)2(H2O)]]n (1), [[Cu(H2O)4]2[Cu(C3H2O4)2(H2O)]] [Cu(C3H2O4)2(H2O)2][[Cu(H2O)4][Cu(C3H2O4)2(H2O)2]] (2), and [Cu(H2O)4][Cu(C3H2O4)2(H2O)2] (3) (C3H2O4 = malonate dianion) have been prepared, and the structures of the two former have been solved by X-ray diffraction methods. The structure of compound 3 was already known. Complex 1 crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pcab, Z = 8, with unit cell parameters of a = 10.339(1) A, b = 13.222(2) A, and c = 17.394(4) A. Complex 2 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2/c, Z = 4, with unit cell parameters of a = 21.100(4) A, b = 21.088(4) A, c = 14.007(2) A, and beta = 115.93(2) degrees. Complex 1 is a chain compound with a regular alternation of aquabis(malonato)copper(II) and triaquacopper(II) units developing along the z axis. The aquabis(malonato)copper(II) unit acts as a bridging ligand through two slightly different trans-carboxylato groups exhibiting an anti-syn coordination mode. The four carboxylate oxygens, in the basal plane, and the one water molecule, in the apical position, describe a distorted square pyramid around Cu1, whereas the same metal surroundings are observed around Cu2 but with three water molecules and one carboxylate oxygen building the equatorial plane and a carboxylate oxygen from another malonato filling the apical site. Complex 2 is made up of discrete mono-, di-, and trinuclear copper(II) complexes of the formulas [Cu(C3H2O4)2(H2O)2]2-, [[Cu(H2O)4] [Cu(C3H2O4)2(H2O)2]], and [[Cu(H2O)4]2[Cu(C3H2O4)2(H2O)]]2+, respectively, which coexist in a single crystal. The copper environment in the mononuclear unit is that of an elongated octahedron with four carboxylate oxygens building the equatorial plane and two water molecules assuming the axial positions. The neutral dinuclear unit contains two types of copper atoms, one that is six-coordinated, as in the mononuclear entity, and another that is distorted square pyramidal with four water molecules building the basal plane and a carboxylate oxygen in the apical position. The overall structure of this dinuclear entity is nearly identical to that of compound 3. Finally, the cationic trimer consists of an aquabis(malonato)copper(II) complex that acts as a bismonodentate ligand through two cis-carboxylato groups (anti-syn coordination mode) toward two tetraaqua-copper(II) terminal units. The environment of the copper atoms is distorted square pyramidal with four carboxylate oxygens (four water molecules) building the basal plane of the central (terminal) copper atom and a water molecule (a carboxylate oxygen) filling the axial position. The magnetic properties of 1-3 have been investigated in the temperature range 1.9-290 K. Overall, ferromagnetic behavior is observed in the three cases: two weak, alternating intrachain ferromagnetic interactions (J = 3.0 cm-1 and alpha J = 1.9 cm-1 with H = -J sigma i[S2i.S2i-1 + alpha S2i.S2i+1]) occur in 1, whereas the magnetic behavior of 2 is the sum of a magnetically isolated spin doublet and ferromagnetically coupled di- (J3 = 1.8 cm-1 from the magnetic study of the model complex 3) and trinuclear (J = 1.2 cm-1 with H = -J (S1.S2 + S1.S3) copper(II) units. The exchange pathway that accounts for the ferromagnetic coupling, through an anti-syn carboxylato bridge, is discussed in the light of the available magneto-structural data.     

(C2H5)3NH]2Cu2(C2O4)3: a three-dimensional metal-oxalato framework showing structurally related dielectric and magnetic transitions at around 165 K

An achiral (10,3) net three-dimensional metal-oxalato framework [Cu(2)(C(2)O(4))(3)(2-)](n) was formed by cation-templating. At around 165 K, the disorder-order transition of cation (C(2)H(5))(3)NH(+) hosted in the channel resulted in dielectric transition, and the antiferromagnetic interactions between the Jahn-Teller distorted Cu(ii) through the oxalato-bridge below 165 K was enhanced.     

Preparation of cuprite (Cu2O), paramelaconite (Cu32+Cu21+O4) and tenorite (CuO) with magnetron sputtering ion plating: characterization by EPMA, XRD, HEED and SEM

Cu-O layers were deposited on Si-<100> wafers at 90°?C by means of reactive magnetron sputtering ion plating (R-MSIP). A Cu-target was sputtered in rf-mode by an oxygen/argon plasma, and the influence of the oxygen partial pressure on composition, structure, texture and morphology of the Cu-O layers was investigated. The analysis with EPMA, XRD, HEED and SEM yielded the following results: with an appropriate setting of the oxygen partial pressure, the oxygen content of the films could be controlled between 0 and 50 at-%. XRD bulk structure analysis shows changes in the crystal structure of the films with increasing oxygen content from the fcc structure of Cu, followed by the sc structure of Cu₂O (cuprite), the tetragonal structure of Cu₃ ²⁺Cu₂ ¹⁺O₄ (paramelaconite) to the monoclinic structure of CuO (tenorite). As revealed by HEED, the structure of the near-surface region of the latter two is the same as that of the bulk, whereas in the case of the films with fcc bulk structure, due to oxidation by air, the surface has the sc structure of Cu₂O, and in the case of the film with the sc structure, a monoclinic surface structure of CuO is observed. SEM analyses detected a disordered columnar growth of all Cu-O films.     

Density functional analysis of the spin exchange interactions and charge order patterns in the layered magnetic oxides YBaM2O5 (M = Mn, Fe, Co)

The spin and charge order phenomena of the layered magnetic oxides YBaM(2)O(5) (M = Mn, Fe, Co) were analyzed on the basis of density functional calculations. We evaluated the spin exchange interactions of YBaM(2)O(5) by performing energy-mapping analysis based on density functional calculations to find why they undergo a three-dimensional magnetic ordering at high temperature. We estimated the relative stabilities of the checkerboard and stripe charge order patterns of YBaM(2)O(5) (M = Mn, Fe, Co) by optimizing their structures with density functional calculations to probe if the nature of the charge order pattern depends on whether their transition-metal ions are Jahn-Teller active.