Orthorhombic charge density wave on the tetragonal lattice of EuAl4.

EuAl4 possesses the BaAl4 crystal structure type with tetragonal symmetry I4/mmm. It undergoes a charge density wave (CDW) transition at T CDW = 145 K and features four consecutive antiferromagnetic phase transitions below 16 K. Here we use single-crystal X-ray diffraction to determine the incommensurately modulated crystal structure of EuAl4 in its CDW state. The CDW is shown to be incommensurate with modulation wave vector q = (0,0,0.1781 (3)) at 70 K. The symmetry of the incommensurately modulated crystal structure is orthorhombic with superspace group Fmmm(00σ)s00, where Fmmm is a subgroup of I4/mmm of index 2. Both the lattice and the atomic coordinates of the basic structure remain tetragonal. Symmetry breaking is entirely due to the modulation wave, where atoms Eu and Al1 have displacements exclusively along a, while the fourfold rotation would require equal displacement amplitudes along a and b. The calculated band structure of the basic structure and interatomic distances in the modulated crystal structure both indicate the Al atoms as the location of the CDW. The tem-per-ature dependence of the specific heat reveals an anomaly at T CDW = 145 K of a magnitude similar to canonical CDW systems. The present discovery of orthorhombic symmetry for the CDW state of EuAl4 leads to the suggestion of monoclinic instead of orthorhombic symmetry for the third AFM state.

Incommensurate Phase in Λ-cobalt (III) Sepulchrate Trinitrate Governed by Highly Competitive N-H⋠⋠⋠O and C-H⋠⋠⋠O Hydrogen Bond Networks.

Phase transitions in molecular crystals are often determined by intermolecular interactions. The cage complex of [Co(C12 H30 N8 )]3+ ⋅ 3 NO3 - is reported to undergo a disorder-order phase transition at Tc1 ≈133 K upon cooling. Temperature-dependent neutron and synchrotron diffraction experiments revealed satellite reflections in addition to main reflections in the diffraction patterns below Tc1 . The modulation wave vector varies as function of temperature and locks in at Tc3 ≈98 K. Here, we demonstrate that the crystal symmetry lowers from hexagonal to monoclinic in the incommensurately modulated phases in Tc1

Commensurate Stacking Phase Transitions in an Intercalated Transition Metal Dichalcogenide.

Intercalation and stacking-order modulation are two active ways in manipulating the interlayer interaction of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), which lead to a variety of emergent phases and allow for engineering material properties. Herein, the growth of Pb-intercalated TMDCs-Pb(Ta1+x Se2 )2 , the first 124-phase, is reported. Pb(Ta1+x Se2 )2 exhibits a unique two-step first-order structural phase transition at around 230 K. The transitions are solely associated with the stacking degree of freedom, evolving from a high-temperature (high-T) phase with ABC stacking and R3m symmetry to an intermediate phase with AB stacking and P3m1, and finally to a low-temperature (low-T) phase again with R3msymmetry, but with ACB stacking. Each step involves a rigid slide of building blocks by a vector [1/3, 2/3, 0]. Intriguingly, gigantic lattice contractions occur at the transitions on warming. At low-T, bulk superconductivity with Tc  ≈ 1.8 K is observed. The underlying physics of the structural phase transitions are discussed from first-principle calculations. The symmetry analysis reveals topological nodal lines in the band structure. The results demonstrate the possibility of realizing higher-order metal-intercalated phases of TMDCs and advance the knowledge of polymorphic transitions, and may inspire stacking-order engineering in TMDCs and beyond.

Single-crystal-to-single-crystal phase transitions of commensurately modulated sodium saccharinate 1.875-hydrate.

This work reports reversible, single-crystal-to-single-crystal phase transitions of commensurately modulated sodium saccharinate 1.875-hydrate [Na(sac)(15/8)H2O]. The phases were studied in the temperature range 298 to 20 K. They exhibit complex disordered states. An unusual reentrant disorder has been discovered upon cooling through a phase transition at 120 K. The disordered region involves three sodium cations, four water molecules and one saccharinate anion. At room temperature, the structure is an eightfold superstructure that can be described by the superspace group C2/c(0σ20)s0 with q = (0, 3/4, 0). It demonstrates maximum disorder with the disordered chemical entities having slightly different but close to 0.50:0.50 disorder component ratios. Upon cooling, the crystal tends to an ordered state, smoothly reaching a unified disorder component ratio of around 0.90:0.10 for each of the entities. Between 130 and 120 K a phase transition occurs involving a sudden increase of the disorder towards the disorder component ratio 0.65:0.35. Meanwhile, the space group and general organization of the structure are retained. Between 60 and 40 K there is another phase transition leading to a twinned triclinic phase. After heating the crystal back to room temperature its structure is the same as before cooling, indicating a complete reversibility of the phase transitions.

Boranes: The Boron Subhydride B104.67H3 with a Distorted ß-Boron Crystal Structure.

A single crystal of the boron subhydride B104.67(4)H3 was serendipitously obtained while attempting to synthesize ß-boron. An accurate crystal structure analysis revealed a distorted ß-boron framework with the noncentrosymmetric space group R3m. We have found one interstitial site occupied by boron. The site related by inversion remains empty. The distortions of the framework result in ideal environments for the interstitial boron atom, and for the three hydrogen atoms at bridging positions between icosahedral B12 groups, they result in ideal B-H distances of 1.33 Å. B104.67(4)H3 is a borane with the lowest amount of hydrogen recorded to date, and it is the first compound with a noncentrosymmetrically distorted ß-boron framework.

On the puzzling case of sodium saccharinate 1.875-hydrate: structure description in (3+1)-dimensional superspace.

The structure of sodium saccharinate 1.875-hydrate is presented in three- and (3+1)-dimensional space. The present model is more accurate than previously published superstructures, due to an excellent data set collected up to a high resolution of 0.89 Å-1. The present study confirms the unusual complexity of the structure comprising a very large primitive unit cell with Z' = 16. A much smaller degree of correlated disorder of parts of the unit cell is found than is present in the previously published models. As a result of pseudo-symmetry, the structure can be described in a higher-dimensional space. The X-ray diffraction data clearly indicate a (3+1)-dimensional periodic structure with stronger main reflections and weaker superstructure reflections. Furthermore, the structure is established as being commensurate. The structure description in superspace results in a four times smaller unit cell with an additional base centring of the lattice, resulting in an eightfold substructure (Z' = 2) of the 3D superstructure. Therefore, such a superspace approach is desirable to work out this high-Z' structure. The displacement and occupational modulation of the saccharinate anions have been studied, as well as their conformational variation along the fourth dimension.

Charge density of 4-methyl-3-[(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy]thiazole-2(3H)-thione. A comprehensive multipole refinement, maximum entropy method and density functional theory study.

The structure of 4-methyl-3-[(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)oxy]thiazole-2(3H)-thione (MTTOTHP) was investigated using X-ray diffraction and computational chemistry methods for determining properties of the nitrogen-oxygen bond, which is the least stable entity upon photochemical excitation. Experimentally measured structure factors have been used to determine and characterize charge density via the multipole model (MM) and the maximum entropy method (MEM). Theoretical investigation of the electron density and the electronic structure has been performed in the finite basis set density functional theory (DFT) framework. Quantum Theory of Atoms In Molecules (QTAIM), deformation densities and Laplacians maps have been used to compare theoretical and experimental results. MM experimental results and predictions from theory differ with respect to the sign and/or magnitude of the Laplacian at the N-O bond critical point (BCP), depending on the treatment of n values of the MM radial functions. Such Laplacian differences in the N-O bond case are discussed with respect to a lack of flexibility in the MM radial functions also reported by Rykounov et al. [Acta Cryst. (2011), B67, 425-436]. BCP Hessian eigenvalues show qualitatively matching results between MM and DFT. In addition, the theoretical analysis used domain-averaged fermi holes (DAFH), natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis and localized (LOC) orbitals to characterize the N-O bond as a single σ bond with marginal π character. Hirshfeld atom refinement (HAR) has been employed to compare to the MM refinement results and/or neutron dataset C-H bond lengths and to crystal or single molecule geometry optimizations, including considerations of anisotropy of H atoms. Our findings help to understand properties of molecules like MTTOTHP as progenitors of free oxygen radicals.

Pressure dependence of spin canting in ammonium metal formate antiferromagnets.

High-pressure single-crystal X-ray diffraction at ambient temperature and high-pressure SQUID measurements down to 2 K were performed up to ∼2.5 GPa on ammonium metal formates, [NH4][M(HCOO)3] where M = Mn2+, Fe2+, and Ni2+, in order to correlate structural variations to magnetic behaviour. Similar structural distortions and phase transitions were observed for all compounds, although the transition pressures varied with the size of the metal cation. The antiferromagnetic ordering in [NH4][M(HCOO)3] compounds was maintained as a function of pressure, and the magnetic ordering transition temperature changed within a few kelvins depending on the structural distortion and the metal cation involved. These compounds, in particular [NH4][Fe(HCOO)3], showed greatest sensitivity to the degree of spin canting upon compression, clearly visible from the twenty-fold increase in the low-temperature magnetisation for [NH4][Fe(HCOO)3] at 1.4 GPa, and the change from purely antiferromagnetic to weakly ferromagnetic ordering in [NH4][Mn(HCOO)3] at 1 GPa. The variation in the exchange couplings and spin canting was checked with density-functional calculations that reproduce well the increase in canted moment within [NH4][Fe(HCOO)3] upon compression, and suggest that the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction is evolving as a function of pressure. The pressure dependence of spin canting is found to be highly dependent on the metal cation, as magnetisation magnitudes did not change significantly for when M = Ni2+ or Mn2+. These results demonstrate that the overall magnetic behaviour of each phase upon compression was not only dependent on the structural distortions but also on the electronic configuration of the metal cation.

The role of PbI2 in CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite stability, solar cell parameters and device degradation.

We report a systematic investigation on the role of excess PbI2 content in CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite film properties, solar cell parameters and device storage stability. We used the CH3NH3I vapor assisted method for the preparation of PbI2-free CH3NH3PbI3 films under a N2 atmosphere. These pristine CH3NH3PbI3 films were annealed at 165 °C for different time intervals in a N2 atmosphere to generate additional PbI2 in these films. From XRD measurements, the excess of PbI2 was quantified. Detailed characterization using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV-Visible and photoluminescence for continuous aging of CH3NH3PbI3 films under ambient condition (50% humidity) is carried out for understanding the influence of different PbI2 contents on degradation of the CH3NH3PbI3 films. We find that the rate of degradation of CH3NH3PbI3 is accelerated due to the amount of PbI2 present in the film. A comparison of solar cell parameters of devices prepared using CH3NH3PbI3 samples having different PbI2 contents reveals a strong influence on the current density-voltage hysteresis as well as storage stability. We demonstrate that CH3NH3PbI3 devices do not require any residual PbI2 for a high performance. Moreover, a small amount of excess PbI2, which improves the initial performance of the devices slightly, has undesirable effects on the CH3NH3PbI3 film stability as well as on device hysteresis and stability.

The electrostatic potential of dynamic charge densities.

A procedure to derive the electrostatic potential (ESP) for dynamic charge densities obtained from structure models or maximum-entropy densities is introduced. The ESP essentially is obtained by inverse Fourier transform of the dynamic structure factors of the total charge density corresponding to the independent atom model, the multipole model or maximum-entropy densities, employing dedicated software that will be part of the BayMEM software package. Our approach is also discussed with respect to the Ewald summation method. It is argued that a meaningful ESP can only be obtained if identical thermal smearing is applied to the nuclear (positive) and electronic (negative) parts of the dynamic charge densities. The method is applied to structure models of dl-serine at three different temperatures of 20, 100 and 298 K. The ESP at locations near the atomic nuclei exhibits a drastic reduction with increasing temperature, the largest difference between the ESP from the static charge density and the ESP of the dynamic charge density being at T = 20 K. These features demonstrate that zero-point vibrations are sufficient for changing the spiky nature of the ESP at the nuclei into finite values. On 0.5 e Å-3 isosurfaces of the electron densities (taken as the molecular surface relevant to intermolecular interactions), the dynamic ESP is surprisingly similar at all temperatures, while the static ESP of a single molecule has a slightly larger range and is shifted towards positive potential values.

Incommensurately modulated structure of morpholinium tetrafluoroborate and configurational versus chemical entropies at the incommensurate and lock-in phase transitions.

Morpholinium tetrafluoroborate, [C4H10NO]+[BF4]-, belongs to a class of ferroelectric compounds ABX4. However, [C4H10NO]+[BF4]- does not develop ferroelectric properties because the incommensurate phase below Tc,I = 153 K is centrosymmetric with superspace group Pnam(σ100)00s and σ1 = 0.42193 (12) at T = 130 K; the threefold superstructure below Tc,II = 117-118 K possesses the acentric but non-ferroelectric space group P212121. At ambient conditions, [C4H10NO]+[BF4]- comprises orientationally disordered [BF4]- anions accommodated in cavities between four morpholinium cations. A structure model for the incommensurately modulated phase, which involves modulated orientational ordering of [BF4]- together with modulated distortions and displacements of the morpholinium ions is reported. A mechanism is proposed for the phase transitions, whereby at low temperatures morpholinium cations are shaped around the tetrafluoroborate anion in order to optimize the interactions with one orientation of this anion and, thus, forcing [BF4]- into this orientation. This mechanism is essentially different from a pure order-disorder phase transition. It is supported by consideration of the transition entropy. The difference in configurational entropy between the disordered and incommensurate phases has been computed from the structure models. It is shown to be much smaller than the experimental transition entropy reported by Owczarek et al. [Chem. Phys. (2011), 381, 11-20]. These features show that the order-disorder contribution is only a minor contribution to the transition entropy and that other factors, such as conformational changes, play a larger role in the phase transitions.

Unusual ground states in [Formula: see text] (R = rare earth; T = Rh, Ir; and X = Si, Ge, Sn): a review.

Rare earth compounds of the type [Formula: see text] (R = rare earth; T = Rh, Ir, and X = Si, Ge, Sn) display a variety of phase transitions towards exotic states, including charge density waves (CDW), local moment magnetism, antiferromagnetism in the heavy fermion state, superconductivity and giant positive magnetoresistance. They support strongly correlated electron systems. In particular, R 5Ir4 [Formula: see text] (R = Dy-Lu) exhibit strong coupling CDWs with high transition temperatures, and superconductivity or magnetic ordering at lower temperatures. [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] (R = Gd-Tm; T = Co, Rh, Ir) show multiple magnetic transitions with large magnetoresistance below the magnetic transitions. Finally, the light rare earth series [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] (R = Ce, Pr, Nd; T = Rh, Ir) display heavy fermion behaviour (for Ce and Pr) or possess giant positive magnetoresistance (for Nd) at low temperatures. This review provides a comprehensive overview of compounds, crystal structures and phase transitions. This is followed by an in-depth discussion of the mechanisms of the phase transitions and the properties of the ordered states.

High-Pressure Phase Transformations in TiPO4 : A Route to Pentacoordinated Phosphorus.

Titanium(III) phosphate, TiPO4 , is a typical example of an oxyphosphorus compound containing covalent P-O bonds. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of TiPO4 reveal complex and unexpected structural and chemical behavior as a function of pressure at room temperature. A series of phase transitions lead to the high-pressure phase V, which is stable above 46 GPa and features an unusual oxygen coordination of the phosphorus atoms. TiPO4 -V is the first inorganic phosphorus-containing compound that exhibits fivefold coordination with oxygen. Up to the highest studied pressure of 56 GPa, TiPO4 -V coexists with TiPO4 -IV, which is less dense and might be kinetically stabilized. Above a pressure of about 6 GPa, TiPO4 -II is found to be an incommensurately modulated phase whereas a lock-in transition at about 7 GPa leads to TiPO4 -III with a fourfold superstructure compared to the structure of TiPO4 -I at ambient conditions. TiPO4 -II and TiPO4 -III are similar to the corresponding low-temperature incommensurate and commensurate magnetic phases and reflect the strong pressure dependence of the spin-Peierls interactions.

The Z' = 12 superstructure of Λ-cobalt(III) sepulchrate trinitrate governed by C-H...O hydrogen bonds.

Λ-Cobalt(III) sepulchrate trinitrate crystallizes in P6322 with Z = 2 (Z' = 1/6) at room temperature. Slabs perpendicular to the hexagonal axis comprise molecules Co(sepulchrate) alternating with nitrate groups A and B. Coordinated by six sepulchrate molecules, highly disordered nitrate groups C are accommodated between the slabs. Here we report the fully ordered, low-temperature crystal structure of Co(sep)(NO3)3. It is found to be a high-Z' structure with Z' = 12 of the 12-fold 6a_{h}\times\sqrt{3}b_{h}\times c_{h} superstructure with monoclinic symmetry P21 (c unique). Correlations between structural parameters are effectively removed by refinements within the superspace approach. Superstructure formation is governed by a densification of the packing in conjunction with ordering of nitrate group C, the latter assuming different orientations for each of the Z' = 12 independent copies in the superstructure. The Co(sep) moiety exhibits small structural variations over its 12 independent copies, while orientations of nitrate groups A and B vary less than the orientations of the nitrate group C do. Molecular packing in the superstructure is found to be determined by short C-H...H-C contacts, with H...H distances of 2.2-2.3 Å, and by short C-H...O contacts, with H...O distances down to 2.2 Å. These contacts presumably represent weak C-H...O hydrogen bonds, but in any case they prevent further densification of the structure and strengthening of weak N-H...O hydrogen bonds with observed H...O distances of 2.4-2.6 Å.

Time-dependent growth of crystalline Au(0)-nanoparticles in cyanobacteria as self-reproducing bioreactors: 2. Anabaena cylindrica.

Microbial biosynthesis of metal nanoparticles as needed in catalysis has shown its theoretical ability as an extremely environmentally friendly production method in the last few years, even though the separation of the nanoparticles is challenging. Biosynthesis, summing up biosorption and bioreduction of diluted metal ions to zero valent metals, is especially ecofriendly, when the bioreactor itself is harmless and needs no further harmful reagents. The cyanobacterium Anabaena cylindrica (SAG 1403.2) is able to form crystalline Au(0)-nanoparticles from Au(3+) ions and does not release toxic anatoxin-a. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) are applied to monitor the time-dependent development of gold nanoparticles for up to 40 hours. Some vegetative cells (VC) are filled with nanoparticles within minutes, while the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of vegetative cells and the heterocyst polysaccharide layer (HEP) are the regions, where the first nanoparticles are detected on most other cells. The uptake of gold starts immediately after incubation and within four hours the average size remains constant around 10 nm. Analyzing the TEM images with an image processing program reveals a wide distribution for the diameter of the nanoparticles at all times and in all regions of the cyanobacteria. Finally, the nanoparticle concentration in vegetative cells of Anabaena cylindrica is about 50% higher than in heterocysts (HC). These nanoparticles are found to be located along the thylakoid membranes.

Charge-ordering transition in iron oxide Fe4O5 involving competing dimer and trimer formation.

Phase transitions that occur in materials, driven, for instance, by changes in temperature or pressure, can dramatically change the materials' properties. Discovering new types of transitions and understanding their mechanisms is important not only from a fundamental perspective, but also for practical applications. Here we investigate a recently discovered Fe4O5 that adopts an orthorhombic CaFe3O5-type crystal structure that features linear chains of Fe ions. On cooling below ∼150 K, Fe4O5 undergoes an unusual charge-ordering transition that involves competing dimeric and trimeric ordering within the chains of Fe ions. This transition is concurrent with a significant increase in electrical resistivity. Magnetic-susceptibility measurements and neutron diffraction establish the formation of a collinear antiferromagnetic order above room temperature and a spin canting at 85 K that gives rise to spontaneous magnetization. We discuss possible mechanisms of this transition and compare it with the trimeronic charge ordering observed in magnetite below the Verwey transition temperature.

Disorder and defects are not intrinsic to boron carbide.

A unique combination of useful properties in boron-carbide, such as extreme hardness, excellent fracture toughness, a low density, a high melting point, thermoelectricity, semi-conducting behavior, catalytic activity and a remarkably good chemical stability, makes it an ideal material for a wide range of technological applications. Explaining these properties in terms of chemical bonding has remained a major challenge in boron chemistry. Here we report the synthesis of fully ordered, stoichiometric boron-carbide B13C2 by high-pressure-high-temperature techniques. Our experimental electron-density study using high-resolution single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction data conclusively demonstrates that disorder and defects are not intrinsic to boron carbide, contrary to what was hitherto supposed. A detailed analysis of the electron density distribution reveals charge transfer between structural units in B13C2 and a new type of electron-deficient bond with formally unpaired electrons on the C-B-C group in B13C2. Unprecedented bonding features contribute to the fundamental chemistry and materials science of boron compounds that is of great interest for understanding structure-property relationships and development of novel functional materials.

Pressure-induced normal-incommensurate and incommensurate-commensurate phase transitions in CrOCl.

The high-pressure behavior of layered CrOCl is shown to be governed by non-bonded interactions between chlorine atoms in relation to a rigid framework composed of Cr and O atoms. The competition between optimizing intra- and interlayer Cl-Cl distances and the general trend towards denser packing defines a novel mechanism for high-pressure phase transitions of inorganic materials. CrOCl possesses an incommensurate phase for 16-51 GPa. Single-crystal x-ray diffraction in a diamond anvil cell provides an accurate description of the evolution of the incommensurate wave with pressure. It thus demonstrates a continuous increase of the amplitude up to 30 GPa, followed by a decrease of the wavelength until a lock-in transition occurs at 51 GPa.

Resonance-stabilized partial proton transfer in hydrogen bonds of incommensurate phenazine-chloranilic acid.

The co-crystal of phenazine (Phz) and chloranilic acid (H2ca) becomes ferroelectric upon cooling through the loss of inversion symmetry. Further cooling results in the development of an incommensurate ferroelectric phase, followed by a lock-in transition towards a twofold superstructure. Here we present the incommensurately modulated crystal structure of Phz-H2ca at T = 139 K with a symmetry given by the superspace group P2(1)(½ σ(2) ½)0 and σ(2) = 0.5139. The modulation mainly affects the positions of the protons within half of the intermolecular hydrogen bonds that are responsible for the spontaneous polarization in all three low-temperature phases. Evidence for proton transfer in part of the hydrogen bonds is obtained from the correlated dependence on the phase of the modulation of the lengths of bonds involved in resonance stabilization of the acidic anion, and much smaller variations of bond lengths of atoms not involved in the resonance mechanism. Incommensurability is explained as competition between proton transfer favored for single hydrogen bonds on the basis of pKa values and avoiding unfavorable Coulomb repulsion within the lattice of the resulting ionic molecules.

N-H···O and C-H···F hydrogen bonds in the incommensurately modulated crystal structure of adamantan-1-ammonium 4-fluorobenzoate.

At low temperatures the organic salt adamantan-1-ammonium 4-fluorobenzoate, C10H18N(+)·C7H4FO2(-), possesses an incommensurately modulated crystal structure. The effect of the modulation on the atomic arrangement and intermolecular interactions is studied by analysing single-crystal X-ray diffraction data within the (3 + 1)-dimensional superspace approach and superspace group P2(1)/n(α0γ)00. The modulation strongly affects the position of the atoms as well as their atomic displacement parameters. Nevertheless, the molecular cations and anions are built by rigid moieties, which vary their orientation with respect to each other as a function of the phase of the modulation t. Cations and anions are connected into slabs by dense N-H···O and C-H···F hydrogen-bonded networks, which are characterized by being rather rigid and which show only a little variation as a function of the phase of the modulation t.