Andrei V. Olenev

Clathrate Ba8Au16P30: the "gold standard" for lattice thermal conductivity.

A novel clathrate phase, Ba8Au16P30, was synthesized from its elements. High-resolution powder X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used to establish the crystal structure of the new compound. Ba8Au16P30 crystallizes in an orthorhombic superstructure of clathrate-I featuring a complete separation of gold and phosphorus atoms over different crystallographic positions, similar to the Cu-containing analogue, Ba8Cu16P30. Barium cations are trapped inside the large polyhedral cages of the gold-phosphorus tetrahedral framework. X-ray diffraction indicated that one out of 15 crystallographically independent phosphorus atoms appears to be three-coordinate. Probing the local structure and chemical bonding of phosphorus atoms with (31)P solid-state NMR spectroscopy confirmed the three-coordinate nature of one of the phosphorus atomic positions. High-resolution high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy indicated that the clathrate Ba8Au16P30 is well-ordered on the atomic scale, although numerous twinning and intergrowth defects as well as antiphase boundaries were detected. The presence of such defects results in the pseudo-body-centered-cubic diffraction patterns observed in single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments. NMR and resistivity characterization of Ba8Au16P30 indicated paramagnetic metallic properties with a room-temperature resistivity of 1.7 mΩ cm. Ba8Au16P30 exhibits a low total thermal conductivity (0.62 W m(-1) K(-1)) and an unprecedentedly low lattice thermal conductivity (0.18 W m(-1) K(-1)) at room temperature. The values of the thermal conductivity for Ba8Au16P30 are significantly lower than the typical values reported for solid crystalline compounds. We attribute such low thermal conductivity values to the presence of a large number of heavy atoms (Au) in the framework and the formation of multiple twinning interfaces and antiphase defects, which are effective scatterers of heat-carrying phonons.

Crystal structures and variable magnetism of PbCu2(XO3)2Cl2 with X = Se, Te

Novel Cu(2+)-based compounds PbCu2(SeO3)2Cl2 (space group C2/c; a = 13.056(1) Å; b = 9.5567(9) Å; c = 6.9006(6) Å; β = 90.529(7)°; RI = 0.0371) and PbCu2(TeO3)2Cl2 (space group P2(1); a = 7.2401(2) Å; b = 7.2688(2) Å; c = 8.2846(2) Å; β = 96.416(2)°; R(I) = 0.0570) have been obtained by solid-state synthesis. Their crystal structures are remarkably dissimilar and underlie a very different magnetic behavior. While PbCu2(SeO3)2Cl2 can be well described by a spin-chain model with an exchange coupling of J1 ≃ 160 K, PbCu2(TeO3)2Cl2 is a spin-dimer system that, however, features a comparable magnetic nearest-neighbor coupling of J ≃ 213 K. PbCu2(SeO3)2Cl2 orders antiferromagnetically below 12 K, whereas PbCu2(TeO3)2Cl2 lacks long-range magnetic order down to at least 2 K, owing to the strong dimerization of the Cu(2+) spins. Crystal structures of both compounds are rationalized in terms of relevant magnetic exchange pathways, and the implications for a broader range of Cu(2+) compounds are discussed.

Semiclathrates of the Ge–P–Te System: Synthesis and Crystal Structures

Novel compounds [Ge(46-x) P(x) ]Te(y) (13.9≤x≤15.6, 5.92≤y≤7.75) with clathrate-like structures have been prepared and structurally characterized. They crystallize in the space group Fm ̅3 with the unit cell parameter changing from 20.544(2) to 20.698(2) Å (Z=8) on going from x=13.9 to x=15.6. Their crystal structure is composed of a covalently bonded Ge-P framework that hosts tellurium atoms in the guest positions and can be viewed as a peculiar variant of the type I clathrate superstructure. In contrast to the conventional type I clathrates, [Ge(46-x) P(x) ]Te(y) contain tricoordinated (3b) atoms and no vacancies in the framework positions. As a consequence of the transformation of the framework, the majority of the guest tellurium atoms form a single covalent bond with the host framework and thus the title compounds are the first representative of semiclathrates with covalent bonding. A comparison is made with silicon clathrates and the evolution of the crystal structure upon changing the tellurium content is discussed.

Synthesis, Structure, and Transport Properties of Type‑I Derived Clathrate Ge46−xPxSe8−y (x = 15.4(1); y = 0−2.65) with Diverse Host− Guest Bonding

A first clathrate compound with selenium guest atoms, [Ge(46-x)P(x)]Se(8-y)□(y) (x = 15.4(1); y = 0-2.65; □ denotes a vacancy), was synthesized as a single-phase and structurally characterized. It crystallizes in the space group Fm3 with the unit cell parameter a varying from 20.310(2) to 20.406(2) Å and corresponding to a 2 × 2 × 2 supercell of a usual clathrate-I structure. The superstructure is formed due to the symmetrical arrangement of the three-bonded framework atoms appearing as a result of the framework transformation of the parent clathrate-I structure. Selenium guest atoms occupy two types of polyhedral cages inside the positively charged framework; all selenium atoms in the larger cages form a single covalent bond with the framework atoms, relating the title compounds to a scanty family of semiclathrates. According to the measurements of electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient, [Ge(46-x)P(x)]Se(8-y)□(y) is an n-type semiconductor with E(g) = 0.41 eV for x = 15.4(1) and y = 0; it demonstrates the maximal thermoelectric power factor of 2.3 × 10(-5) W K(-2) m(-1) at 660 K.

the hg32+ group as a framework unit in a host—guest compound: [hg11as4](gabr4)4.

Pyramids in a mercury tunnel: Hg32+ and Hg22+ units form the tunnel walls of the novel inorganic supramolecular compound [Hg11 As4 ](GaBr4 )4 . This is the first three-dimensional framework that incorporates the subvalent mercury cluster Hg32+ as a structural unit. Each of the two types of tunnel that extend along the b axis of the unit cell contains two columns of GaBr4- ions.

Crystal structure, physical properties, and electronic and magnetic structure of the spin S = 5/2 zigzag chain compound Bi2Fe(SeO3)2OCl3.

We report the synthesis and characterization of the new bismuth iron selenite oxochloride Bi2Fe(SeO3)2OCl3. The main feature of its crystal structure is the presence of a reasonably isolated set of spin S = 5/2 zigzag chains of corner-sharing FeO6 octahedra decorated with BiO4Cl3, BiO3Cl3, and SeO3 groups. When the temperature is lowered, the magnetization passes through a broad maximum at Tmax ≈ 130 K, which indicates the formation of a magnetic short-range correlation regime. The same behavior is demonstrated by the integral electron spin resonance intensity. The absorption is characterized by the isotropic effective factor g ≈ 2 typical for high-spin Fe(3+) ions. The broadening of ESR absorption lines at low temperatures with the critical exponent β = 7/4 is consistent with the divergence of the temperature-dependent correlation length expected for the quasi-one-dimensional antiferromagnetic spin chain upon approaching the long-range ordering transition from above. At TN = 13 K, Bi2Fe(SeO3)2OCl3 exhibits a transition into an antiferromagnetically ordered state, evidenced in the magnetization, specific heat, and Mössbauer spectra. At T < TN, the (57)Fe Mössbauer spectra reveal a low saturated value of the hyperfine field Hhf ≈ 44 T, which indicates a quantum spin reduction of spin-only magnetic moment ΔS/S ≈ 20%. The determination of exchange interaction parameters using first-principles calculations validates the quasi-one-dimensional nature of magnetism in this compound.

A new family of supramolecular complexes with 3D cationic Hg/Z frameworks, SnX3- guest anions (Z = P, As, Sb; X = Cl, Br, I): Crystal structures and host-guest interactions

Five new inorganic supramolecular complexes, [Hg6P4Cl3](SnCl3) (I), [Hg6As4Cl3](SnCl3)Hg0.13 (II), [Hg6As4Br3](SnBr3) (III), [Hg6Sb4I3](SnI3)Hg0.16 (IV), and [Hg7P4Br3](SnBr3) (V), have been prepared and their structures determined by X-ray single crystal experiments. They all crystallize in the cubic space group P213 (No 198) with Z = 4, and unit cell parameters a = 11.865(1) (I), 12.233(1) (II), 12.383(1) (III), 13.285(2) (IV), and 12.490(1) A (V). The crystal structures of these compounds are composed of the 3D positively charged frameworks [Hg6Z4X3]+ (I−IV) or [Hg7P4Br3]+ (V), with SnX3− anions trapped in the larger cavities of the frameworks (X = Cl, Br, I; Z = P, As, Sb). In the structures of II and IV the smaller cavities are partly filled by mercury atoms. The structures of I−V and of previously reported [Hg7As4I3](SnI3) (VI) are discussed with respect to the matching and mutual adjusting of the host frameworks and guest anions. A comparison of the observed and calculated (ab initio, RHF level) geometry of the SnX3− anions is used to analyze the weak host−guest interactions.

[Hg7As4I3](SnI3): Trapping the SnI31- anion in the cavities of the unprecedented mercury-arsenic-iodine network

A novel host–guest compound [Hg7As4I3](SnI3) has been prepared by a standard ampoule technique and its crystal structure was determined. It crystallizes in a cubic system [space group P213, a = 13.110(1) A, Z = 4] with a unique structure type. The crystal structure comprises two parts: the three-dimensional [Hg7As4I3]1+ host network, and the SnI31– guest anions encapsulated in the cavities of the network. The network is built from the As2Hg7 bitetrahedra and As2Hg6 octahedra, which share corners, and contains an additional iodine atom connected to one of the mercury vertices. The SnI31– anion has the shape of a pyramid with the tin atom in a vertex. According to the quantum-chemistry calculations, the geometry of the anion deviates substantially from the equilibrium one, and is influenced by the distant mercury atoms of the host network.

CaCu2(SeO3)2Cl2: Spin-1/2 Heisenberg chain compound with complex frustrated interchain couplings

We report the crystal structure, magnetization measurements, and band-structure calculations for the spin-1/2 quantum magnet CaCu2(SeO3)2Cl2. The magnetic behavior of this compound is well reproduced by a uniform spin-1/2 chain model with the nearest-neighbor exchange of about 133 K. Due to the peculiar crystal structure, spin chains run in the direction almost perpendicular to the structural chains. We find an exotic regime of frustrated interchain couplings owing to two inequivalent exchanges of 10 K each. Peculiar superexchange paths grant an opportunity to investigate bond-randomness effects under partial Cl-Br substitution.

Crystal and electronic structure of Ni3Bi2S2 (parkerite)

The crystal structure of parkerite, Ni3Bi2S2, was studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and refined. The single crystal was prepared by the method of chemical transport reactions. The electronic structure of Ni3Bi2S2 was calculated by the extended Hückel and DFT--LMTO--ASA methods. Substantial delocalization of electrons in the vicinity of the Fermi level and the presence of the strong Ni--S and Ni--Bi bonds were revealed. The Ni--Ni bonds are weak, which is in agreement with the X-ray diffraction data.