Phase transition in ammonium hexafluorovanadate (III)

Heat capacity of ammonium hexafluorovanadate (NH₄)₃ [VF₆] has been measured with a miniaturized adiabatic calorimeter from 20 to 300 K. A phase transition was found at 280.44 ± 0.05 K with the associated entropy change Δ_trs S = 24.9 ± 0.5 JK^?1 mol^?1. The entropy transition is accounted for by the orientational order-disorder changes of hexafluorovanadate ion and ammonium ion occupying respective octahedral sites, as in the cases of (NH₄)₃AlF₆ and (NH₄)₃FeF₆ crystals. Changes in infrared spectra relative to v₃ vibrational mode of [VF₆]^3? ion can be explained by an orientational disorder of the anions in the high-temperature phase (HTP). The dependence of cubic root of the unit-cell volume of a family of ammonium cryolites on their transition temperatures is discussed in relation to the nature of interactions which induce the phase transition.