The crystal structure of π-ErBO3: New single-crystal data for an old problem

Single crystals of the orthoborate π-ErBO₃ were synthesized from Er₂O₃ and B₂O₃ under high-pressure/high-temperature conditions of 2 GPa and 800 °C in a Walker-type multianvil apparatus. The crystal structure was determined on the basis of single-crystal X-ray diffraction data, collected at room temperature. The title compound crystallizes in the monoclinic pseudowollastonite-type structure, space group C2/c, with the lattice parameters a=1128.4(2) pm, b=652.6(2) pm, c=954.0(2) pm, and β=112.8(1)° (R₁=0.0124 and wR₂=0.0404 for all data).     

Radiation induced voids in high-purity magnesium

In these experiments we have measured the recovery spectra of the electrical resistivity after neutron irradiation at 78 °K of previously cold-worked copper specimens at room temperature and compared with well annealed specimens after neutron irradiation.     

High pressure synthesis and properties of ternary titanium (III) fluorides in the system KF-TiF3 containing regular pentagonal bipyramids [TiF7]

Titanium trifluoride TiF₃ has the distorted ReO₃ structure composed of corner sharing TiF₆ octahedra linked with Ti-F-Ti bridges. Potassium fluoride KF was inserted into the bridges using high-pressure and high-temperature conditions (5 GPa, 1000-1200 °C). When the molar ratio KF/TiF₃≥1, a few low dimensional compounds were obtained forming non-bridged F ions. At the composition KF/TiF₃=1/2, a new compound KTi₂F₇ was formed, which crystallizes with the space group Cmmm and the lattice parameters of a=6.371(3), b=10.448(6), c=3.958(2) Å, consisting of edge-sharing pentagonal bipyramids [TiF₇] forming ribbons running along the a axis. The ribbons are linked by corners to construct a three-dimensional framework without forming non-bridged F ions. The compound is antiferromagnetic with the Néel temperature T_N=75 K, and the optical band gap was 6.4 eV. A new fluoride K₂TiF₅ (KF/TiF₃=2) with the space group Pbcn and the lattice parameters of a=7.4626(2), b=12.9544(4) and c=20.6906(7) Å was also obtained by the high pressure and high temperature treatment (5 GPa at 1000 °C) of a molar mixture of 2 KF+TiF₃. The compound contains one-dimensional chains of corner-sharing TiF₆ octahedra.     

High-pressure synthesis, crystal and electronic structures of a new scandium tungstate, Sc0.67WO4

Negative thermal expansion (NTE) materials possess a low-density, open structure that can respond to high pressure conditions, leading to new compounds and/or different physical properties. Here we report that one such NTE material - white, insulating, orthorhombic Sc₂W₃O₁₂ - transforms into a black compound when treated at 4 GPa and 1400 °C. The high pressure phase, Sc_0.67WO₄, crystallizes in a defect-rich wolframite-type structure, a dense, monoclinic structure (space group P2/c) containing 1-D chains of edge-sharing WO₆ octahedra. The chemical bonding of Sc_0.67WO₄ vis-à-vis the ambient pressure Sc₂W₃O₁₂ phase can be understood on the basis of the Sc defect structure. Magnetic susceptibility, resistivity, thermoelectric power and IR spectroscopic measurements suggest that the Sc_0.67WO₄ sample is a paramagnet whose conductivity is that of a metal in the presence of weak localization and electron-electron interactions. Oxygen vacancies are suggested as a potential mechanism for generating the carriers in this defective wolframite material.     

Metallic Re-Re bond formation in different MRe2O6 (MFe, Co, Ni) rutile-like polymorphs: The role of temperature in high-pressure synthesis

Different polymorphs of MRe₂O₆ (MFe, Co, Ni) with rutile-like structures were prepared using high-pressure high-temperature synthesis. For syntheses temperatures higher than ∼1573 K, tetragonal rutile-type structures (P4₂/mnm) with a statistical distribution of M- and Re-atoms on the metal position in the structure were observed for all three compounds, whereas rutile-like structures with orthorhombic or monoclinic symmetry, partially ordered M- and Re-ions on different sites and metallic Re-Re-bonds within Re₂O₁₀-pairs were found for CoRe₂O₆ and NiRe₂O₆ at a synthesis temperature of 1473 K. According to the XPS measurements, a mixture of Re⁺⁴/Re⁺⁶ and M²⁺/M³⁺ is present in both structural modifications of CoRe₂O₆ and NiRe₂O₆. The low-temperature forms contain more Re⁺⁴ and M³⁺ than the high-temperature forms. Tetragonal and monoclinic modifications of NiRe₂O₆ order with a ferromagnetic component at ∼24 K, whereas tetragonal and orthorhombic CoRe₂O₆ show two magnetic transitions: below ∼17.5 and 27 K for the tetragonal and below 18 and 67 K for the orthorhombic phase. Tetragonal FeRe₂O₆ is antiferromagnetic below 123 K.     

High-pressure synthesis and crystal structure of the mixed-valent titanium borate Ti5B12O26

The new titanium borate was synthesized under high-pressure/high-temperature conditions in a Walker-type multianvil apparatus at 7.5 GPa and 1350 °C. Ti₅B₁₂O₂₆ is built up exclusively from corner-sharing BO₄-tetrahedra and shows a structural relation to the Zintl phase NaTl. Consisting of B₁₂O₂₆-clusters as fundamental building blocks, the structure of Ti₅B₁₂O₂₆ can be described via two interpenetrating diamond structures as in NaTl, where each atom corresponds to one B₁₂O₂₆-cluster. The tetragonal titanium borate crystallizes with eight formula units in the space group I4₁/acd and exhibits lattice parameters of a=1121.1(2) pm and c=2211.5(4) pm. Ti₅B₁₂O₂₆ is a mixed-valent compound with Ti^III and Ti^IV cations. The environment of the titanium cations, as well as charge distribution calculations, leads us to the assumption that Ti^III and Ti^IV are located on different crystallographic sites.     

Molecular association in 2-bromo-2-chloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane (Halothane)

Intermolecular interactions and the role of fluorine substitution have been investigated for a halogenated-ethane anesthetic. 2-Bromo-2-chloro-1,1,1-trifluoroethane, BrClCHCF₃ (Halothane), has been in situ pressure frozen in a diamond anvil cell and its structure determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction at 1.85(5) GPa/296 K. Crystal is triclinic, space group . In this racemic structure the enantiomorphic molecules are substitutionally disordered at the same general positions in that way that bromine and chlorine atoms occupy the same site at the 50:50 ratio. Despite the fact that only the Br and Cl atoms are disordered, the crystal packing is dominated by halogen?halogen and halogen?hydrogen interactions. This X-ray diffraction study provides structural explanation of considerably increased vapor pressure of Halothane compared to its hydrogenated analogue.     

高压覆膜制样X射线荧光光谱法测定土壤和水系沉积物中的氯研究

氯是化探样品分析中的重要元素,而X射线荧光光谱法是测定卤族元素的重要技术手段。已有研究表明,X射线荧光光谱法在测定氯时,同一样片中氯的测定值随重复测定次数的增加而逐渐增大或减小。采用高压覆膜制样技术制片,测定土壤和水系沉积物中的氯,氯（24～40 000 μg·g-1）校准曲线的相关系数明显改善,RMS（均方根）由未贴膜的0.009 63,改善为贴膜后的RMS 0.001 98。氯的检出限由未贴膜的30 μg·g-1,改善为贴膜后的21 μg·g-1。且高压覆膜制样,同一样片连续测定10次,还是10 d内隔天测定1次,氯的测定值都保持不变或略有下降。从抽真空时间,X光管应用功率,烘样和不烘样,氯元素存在形式等角度解释了氯的测定值随重复测定次数的增加而逐渐增大或略减小的原因。高压覆膜制样,样品表面的聚酯膜,可以阻止在抽真空过程中氯随水分向样片表面迁移扩散或分解损失。高压未覆膜的样片在测定过程中,因样片表面吸附了水及空气分子,因而随抽真空时间的增加及解吸附作用,真空度下降明显,氯的强度变化明显。而高压覆膜样片在测定过程中,真空度下降不明显,氯的测定值基本不变或略有下降。高压制样（1 600 kN）可以将不同类型的地质样品压制成型,高压覆膜制样技术,完全消除了粉尘效应,对下照射的X射线荧光光谱仪具有重要意义。测过的样片可以重复测定氯,标准样片可长期保存,避免了标准样品的浪费。用该方法可以准确测定土壤和水系沉积物中32个组分。该样品制备方法也适用于测定其他难以成型的样品及其荧光强度由于真空和长时间辐射而强度变化的元素分析。     

High-pressure synthesis and crystal structure analysis of NaMn2O4 with the calcium ferrite-type structure

Single crystals of a new sodium manganese oxide, NaMn₂O₄, were synthesized for the first time using a high-temperature and high-pressure technique. The NaMn₂O₄ single crystal is black, has a needle shape, and crystallizes in the orthorhombic calcium ferrite-type structure, space group Pnam with , , , , and Z=4. The structure was determined from a single-crystal X-ray study and refined to the conventional values R=0.041 and wR=0.034 for 1190 observed reflections. The framework structure is built up from edge-sharing chains of MnO₆ octahedra that condense to form one-dimensional tunnels in which the sodium atoms are located. The Mn-O bond distance and bond valence analyses revealed the manganese valence Mn³⁺/Mn⁴⁺ ordering in the two “double rutile” chains of NaMn₂O₄.