Crystal growth and electrical properties of lithium,rubidium, and cesium molybdenum oxide bronzes

Crystals of Li_0.33 MoO₃ (blue), Rb_0.23MoO₃ (blue) and Cs_0.31MoO₃ (red) were grown by electrolysis from MoO₃M₂MoO₄ melts (M =alkali metal) with composition 70–77 mole% MoO₃. Melts richer in M₂MoO₄ produced MoO₂ only. Correlation is made between bronze formation and the coordination of Mo in the melt and in the equilibrium solid phase M₂Mo₄O₁₃. Li_0.33MoO₃ and Cs_0.31MoO₃ are semiconductors with high-temperature-range activation energies 0.16 and 0.12 eV. Rb_0.23MoO₃ has an electrical behavior similar to that of blue K_xMoO₃ with a semiconductor-metal transition at (170 ± 5) K. ESR spectra observed in Li_0.33MoO₃ and Rb_0.23MoO₃ single crystals at 4.2 K show extensive delocalization of the 4d¹ electron associated with Mo(V) centers. Attempts to grow molybdenum bronzes containing Ca or Y were unsuccessful.