Iron Oxychalcogenides and Their Photocurrent Responses.

We report here the results of an experimental investigation of the electronic properties and photocurrent responses of the CaFeOQ and La2O2Fe2OQ2 phases and a computational study of the electronic structure of polar CaFeOSe. We find that both CaFeOQ (Q = S and Se) have band gaps and conduction band edge positions compatible with light-driven photocatalytic water splitting, although the oxysulfide suffers from degradation due to the oxidation of Fe2+ sites. The higher O/Q ratio in the Fe2+ coordination environment in CaFeOSe increases its stability without increasing the band gap beyond the visible range. The photocurrent CaFeOSe shows fast electron-hole separation, consistent with calculated carrier effective masses. These results suggest that these iron oxychalcogenides warrant further study to optimize their stability and morphology for photocatalytic and other photoactive applications.

Functional materials design: octahedral tilts in hybrid n = 1 Ruddlesden-Popper phases.

The exciting properties offered by hybrid perovskite-related materials have motivated Liu et al. [(2023). IUCrJ, 10, 385-396] to explore the crystallography of hybrid n = 1 Ruddlesden-Popper phases. Their investigation explores the structures (and symmetries) expected to result from typical distortions and gives design strategies to target specific symmetries.

Photocatalytic and Photocurrent Responses to Visible Light of the Lone-Pair-Based Oxysulfide Sr6Cd2Sb6S10O7.

We present a combined experimental and computational study on the recently reported oxysulfide Sr6Cd2Sb6S10O7. Our spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical measurements and tests for photocatalytic activity indicate the potential of Sr6Cd2Sb6S10O7 for photocatalytic applications. In particular, the transient photocurrent response shows a reproducible photogenerated current which depends on light intensity and which indicates an efficient electron-hole separation upon visible light illumination. Density functional theory calculations, combined with crystal orbital Hamiltonian population analysis, give insights into the electronic structure of Sr6Cd2Sb6S10O7 and the origin of its physical properties. Our comprehensive investigation into Sr6Cd2Sb6S10O7 reveals the roles of its polar structure, polar Sb3+ coordination environments, and the 5s2 lone pair in making this compound a potential candidate for solar water splitting photocatalysis.

Bi2CoO2F4-A Polar, Ferrimagnetic Aurivillius Oxide-Fluoride.

Aurivillius oxides have been a research focus due to their ferroelectric properties, but by replacing oxide ions by fluoride, divalent magnetic cations can be introduced, giving Bi2 MO2F4 (M = Fe, Co, and Ni). Our combined experimental and computational study on Bi2CoO2F4 indicates a low-temperature polar structure of P21 ab symmetry (analogous to ferroelectric Bi2WO6) and a ferrimagnetic ground state. These results highlight the potential of Aurivillius oxide-fluorides for multiferroic properties. Our research has also revealed some challenges associated with the reduced tendency for polar displacements in the more ionic fluoride-based systems.

Structural Diversity of Rare-Earth Oxychalcogenides.

Mixed-anion systems have garnered much attention in the past decade with attractive properties for diverse applications such as energy conversion, electronics, and catalysis. The discovery of new materials through mixed-cation and single-anion systems proved highly successful in the previous century, but solid-state chemists are now embracing an exciting design opportunity by incorporating multiple anions in compounds such as oxychalcogenides. Materials containing rare-earth ions are arguably a cornerstone of modern technology, and herein, we review recent advances in rare-earth oxychalcogenides. We discuss ternary rare-earth oxychalcogenides whose layered structures illustrate the characters and bonding preferences of oxide and chalcogenide anions. We then review quaternary compounds which combine anionic and cationic design strategies toward materials discovery and describe their structural diversity. Finally, we emphasize the progression from layered two-dimensional compounds to three-dimensional networks and the unique synthetic approaches which enable this advancement.

Symmetry and the Role of the Anion Sublattice in Aurivillius Oxyfluoride Bi2TiO4F2.

The photocatalytic and dielectric behaviors of Aurivillius oxyfluorides such as Bi2TiO4F2 depend sensitively on their crystal structure and symmetry but these are not fully understood. Our experimental work combined with symmetry analysis demonstrates the factors that influence anion order and how this might be tuned to break inversion symmetry. We explore an experimental approach to explore anion order, which combines Rietveld analysis with strain analysis.

Tuning between Proper and Hybrid-Improper Mechanisms for Polar Behavior in CsLn 2Ti2NbO10 Dion-Jacobson Phases.

The Dion-Jacobson (DJ) family of perovskite-related materials have recently attracted interest due to their polar structures and properties, resulting from hybrid-improper mechanisms for ferroelectricity in n = 2 systems and from proper mechanisms in n = 3 CsBi2Ti2NbO10. We report here a combined experimental and computational study on analogous n = 3 CsLn 2Ti2NbO10 (Ln = La, Nd) materials. Density functional theory calculations reveal the shallow energy landscape in these systems and give an understanding of the competing structural models suggested by neutron and electron diffraction studies. The structural disorder resulting from the shallow energy landscape breaks inversion symmetry at a local level, consistent with the observed second-harmonic generation. This study reveals the potential to tune between proper and hybrid-improper mechanisms by composition in the DJ family. The disorder and shallow energy landscape have implications for designing functional materials with properties reliant on competing low-energy phases such as relaxors and antiferroelectrics.

Mn2CoReO6: a robust multisublattice antiferromagnetic perovskite with small A-site cations.

Mn2CoReO6, the fourth known magnetic transition-metal-only double perovskite oxide (space group P21/n) was synthesized at high pressure and temperature (8 GPa, 1350 °C). Large structural distortions are induced by the small A-site Mn2+ cations. Mn2CoReO6 exhibits complex magnetic properties with a robust antiferromagnetic order (TN = 94 K) involving all cation sublattices.

Tuning octahedral tilts and the polar nature of A-site deficient perovskites.

Herein we highlight the ability to tune the structural chemistry of A-site deficient perovskite materials Ln1/3NbO3. Computational studies explore the balance between proper and hybrid-improper mechanisms for polar behaviour in these systems.

Magnetostriction-polarization coupling in multiferroic Mn2MnWO6.

Double corundum-related polar magnets are promising materials for multiferroic and magnetoelectric applications in spintronics. However, their design and synthesis is a challenge, and magnetoelectric coupling has only been observed in Ni3TeO6 among the known double corundum compounds to date. Here we address the high-pressure synthesis of a new polar and antiferromagnetic corundum derivative Mn2MnWO6, which adopts the Ni3TeO6-type structure with low temperature first-order field-induced metamagnetic phase transitions (T N = 58 K) and high spontaneous polarization (~ 63.3 µC·cm-2). The magnetostriction-polarization coupling in Mn2MnWO6 is evidenced by second harmonic generation effect, and corroborated by magnetic-field-dependent pyroresponse behavior, which together with the magnetic-field-dependent polarization and dielectric measurements, qualitatively indicate magnetoelectric coupling. Piezoresponse force microscopy imaging and spectroscopy studies on Mn2MnWO6 show switchable polarization, which motivates further exploration on magnetoelectric effect in single crystal/thin film specimens.

Infinitely Adaptive Transition-Metal Ordering in Ln2O2MSe2-Type Oxychalcogenides.

A number of Ln2O2MSe2 (Ln = La and Ce; M = Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cd) compounds, built from alternating layers of fluorite-like [Ln2O2](2+) sheets and antifluorite-like [MSe2](2-) sheets, have recently been reported in the literatures. The available MSe4/2 tetrahedral sites are half-occupied, and different compositions display different ordering patterns: [MSe2](2-) layers contain MSe4/2 tetrahedra that are exclusively edge-sharing (stripe-like), exclusively corner-sharing (checkerboard-like), or mixtures of both. This paper reports 60 new compositions in this family. We reveal that the transition-metal arrangement can be systematically controlled by either Ln or M doping, leading to an "infinitely adaptive" structural family. We show how this is achieved in La2O2Fe1-xZnxSe2, La2O2Zn1-xMnxSe2, La2O2Mn1-xCdxSe2, Ce2O2Fe1-xZnxSe2, Ce2O2Zn1-xMnxSe2, Ce2O2Mn1-xCdxSe2, La2-yCeyO2FeSe2, La2-yCeyO2ZnSe2, La2-yCeyO2MnSe2, and La2-yCeyO2CdSe2 solid solutions.

Structural characterization and physical properties of the new transition metal oxyselenide La2O2ZnSe2.

The quaternary transition metal oxyselenide La(2)O(2)ZnSe(2) has been shown to adopt a ZrCuSiAs-related structure with Zn(2+) cations in a new ordered arrangement within the [ZnSe(2)](2-) layers. This cation-ordered structure can be derived and described using the symmetry-adapted distortion mode approach. La(2)O(2)ZnSe(2) is an direct gap semiconductor with an experimental optical band gap of 3.4(2) eV, consistent with electronic structure calculations.

A new iron oxyselenide Ce2O2FeSe2: synthesis and characterisation.

In this communication we report the synthesis, structural and preliminary physical characterisation of a new layered oxyselenide Ce(2)O(2)FeSe(2). This material, containing a 1D portion of the structure of the layered FeSe-related superconductors, is a semiconductor with a band gap of around 0.64 eV and orders antiferromagnetically at low temperatures.