Georg Amthauer

Mixed Valence of Iron in Minerals with Cation Clusters

The valence and distribution of iron in vivianite, lazulite, babingtonite, rockbridgeite, acmite, aegirine-augite, hedenbergite, and ilvaite were studied with optical and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Optically activated intervalence charge transfer between Fe2+ and Fe3+ in neighboring sites through common edges or faces is observed in all these minerals irrespective of the polymerization of the iron-oxygen polyhedra ranging from finite clusters to infinite structural units. However, a distinct decrease occurs in the energy of the corresponding optical absorption band with increasing number of Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions involved in the charge transfer process. Thermally activated electron delocalization between Fe2+ and Fe3+ occurs only if Fe2+ and Fe3+ occupy crystallographically equivalent or geometrically very similar neighboring sites which share common edges to form extended structural units such as the ribbon in ilvaite. If the Fe-O polyhedra form finite clusters of two, three, or four polyhedra (e.g., in vivianite, lazulite, and babingtonite, respectively) no thermally-activated mixed-valence states of iron are observed. In aegirine, extended regions of the M1 chain are statistically occupied by Fe2+ and Fe3+ giving rise to thermally-activated electron delocalization in addition to the intervalence band in the optical absorption spectrum. The intensity of the optical intervalence absorption has been measured in a number of systems: ɛ values range from 60 to 210.

Structural variations in the brownmillerite series Ca2(Fe2−xAlx)O5: Single-crystal X-ray diffraction at 25 °C and high-temperature X-ray powder diffraction (25 °C ≤ T ≤ 1000 °C)

Abstract A total of 30 synthetic samples of the Ca2Fe2-xAlxO5, 0.00 ≤ x ≤ 1.34 solid solution series have been investigated by single crystal X-ray diffraction at 25 °C. Pure Ca2Fe2O5 and samples up to x = 0.56 have space group Pnma, Z = 4, whereas samples with x > 0.56 show I2mb symmetry, Z = 4. The substitution of Fe3+ by the smaller Al3+ cation decreases unit-cell parameters and average octahedral and tetrahedral bond lengths and induces distinct changes in the O-atom coordination of the interstitial Ca atom. Discontinuities in the structural parameters vs. the Al3+tot content and changes in slope of these quantities are associated with the phase transition. The essential difference between the two modifications is the cation-O atom-cation angle within the planes of corner sharing octahedra, which is close to 180° in I2mb, but ≈184° in the Pnma phase, and the existence of two different orientations of the tetrahedral chains in Pnma as opposed to one in I2mb. At low overall Al3+ concentrations Al3+ preferentially enters the tetrahedral site until ≈2/3 of it is filled. Additional Al3+ cations, substituted for Fe3+, are equally distributed over octahedral and tetrahedral sites. At high temperature pure Ca2Fe2O5 transforms to a body-centered structure at 724(4) °C. Substituting Al3+ for Fe3+ linearly decreases the transition temperature by 15 °C per 0.1 Al3+ down to 623(5) °C for x = 0.65.

The hydrous component in andradite garnet

Abstract Twenty-two andradite samples from a variety of geological environments and two synthetic hydroandradite samples were studied by Fourier transform IR spectroscopy. Their spectra show that H enters andradite in the form of OH-. Amounts up to 6 wt% H2O occur in these samples; those from low-temperature formations contain the most OH-. Some features in the absorption spectra indicate the hydrogamet substitution (SiO4)4-↔(O4H4)4- whereas others indicate additional types of OH- incorporation. The complexity of the spectra due to multi-site distribution of OH- increases with increasing complexity of the garnet composition.

Structural and Electrochemical Consequences of Al and Ga Cosubstitution in Li7La3Zr2O12 Solid Electrolytes

Several “Beyond Li-Ion Battery” concepts such as all solid-state batteries and hybrid liquid/solid systems envision the use of a solid electrolyte to protect Li-metal anodes. These configurations are very attractive due to the possibility of exceptionally high energy densities and high (dis)charge rates, but they are far from being realized practically due to a number of issues including high interfacial resistance and difficulties associated with fabrication. One of the most promising solid electrolyte systems for these applications is Al or Ga stabilized Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) based on high ionic conductivities and apparent stability against reduction by Li metal. Nevertheless, the fabrication of dense LLZO membranes with high ionic conductivity and low interfacial resistances remains challenging; it definitely requires a better understanding of the structural and electrochemical properties. In this study, the phase transition from garnet (Ia3̅d, No. 230) to “non-garnet” (I4̅3d, No. 220) space group as a function of composition and the different sintering behavior of Ga and Al stabilized LLZO are identified as important factors in determining the electrochemical properties. The phase transition was located at an Al:Ga substitution ratio of 0.05:0.15 and is accompanied by a significant lowering of the activation energy for Li-ion transport to 0.26 eV. The phase transition combined with microstructural changes concomitant with an increase of the Ga/Al ratio continuously improves the Li-ion conductivity from 2.6 × 10–4 S cm–1 to 1.2 × 10–3 S cm–1, which is close to the calculated maximum for garnet-type materials. The increase in Ga content is also associated with better densification and smaller grains and is accompanied by a change in the area specific resistance (ASR) from 78 to 24 Ω cm2, the lowest reported value for LLZO so far. These results illustrate that understanding the structure–properties relationships in this class of materials allows practical obstacles to its utilization to be readily overcome.

Spectroscopic and structural properties of synthetic micas on the annite-siderophyllite binary: Synthesis, crystal structure refinement, Mössbauer, and infrared spectroscopy

Abstract The effect of the incorporation of Al-Tschermak’s molecule to the trioctahedral potassium mica annite {K}[Fe3]O10(OH)2 on local and average structure has been investigated by hydrothermal synthesis, structure refinement of X-ray powder diffraction data, Mössbauer and infrared spectroscopy. The various types of brackets indicate different structural sites. Samples with compositions {K}[Fe3-xAlx]O10(OH)2 were prepared by hydrothermal techniques. The maximum solubility of Al3+ is limited to x = 0.92 at 500 °C and to x = 0.82 at 700 °C. The main factor controlling the substitution limits is the ditrigonal distortion of the tetrahedral rings. Lattice parameters decrease linearly with increasing Al3+ content of the mica. A considerable decrease of M2-O and nearly no change of M1-O bond lengths with increasing Al3+ contents is indicative of preferred occupation of the M2 site by [Al3+]. Changes in K-O distances are also very pronounced and reflect the ditrigonal distortion of the tetrahedral sheet. The bimodal ferrous quadrupole splitting distribution (QSD) in annite, extracted from Mössbauer spectra, becomes narrower and more centered around 2.60 mm/s with increasing Al3+ contents, and its evolution suggests an increasing deviation from ideal octahedral coordination of Fe by O, illustrated by the increasing octahedral flattening angle y. The population of individual QSD components proves that it is impossible to resolve cis and trans M-sites in micas by Mössbauer spectroscopy. In the hydroxyl stretching region, up to 7 bands are observed in the infra-red spectra which correspond to OH groups adjacent to 3 Fe2+ (N-bands), to OH groups coordinated by Fe2+, Al3+, and Fe3+ (I-bands) and to configurations having one octahedral vacancy (V-bands). N- and I-type bands are shifted toward lower wavenumbers with increasing Al3+ content because of increasing OH···Otet interactions.

The role of Fe2+ and Fe3+ in synthetic Fe-substituted tetrahedrite

SummaryTetrahedrites with the composition between Cu12Sb4S13 and Cu10Fe2Sb4S13 were synthesized at 457 °C and 500 °C from the elements and carefully studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy of57Fe. Between Cu12Sb4S13 and Cu11Fe1Sb4S13 iron is predominantly ferric. Between Cu11Fe1Sb4S13 and Cu10Fe2Sb4S13 iron is predominantly ferrous and occupies the tetrahedral M1-sites.ZusammenfassungDie Rolle von Fe2+ und Fe3+ in synthetischen Tetraedriten mit Fe-Substitution Tetraedrite mit einer Zusammensetzung zwischen Cu12Sb4S13 and Cu10Fe2Sb4S13 wurden bei 457 °C und 500 °C aus den Elementen synthetisiert und sorgfdltig mit Mössbauer-Spektroskopie von57Fe untersucht. Zwischen Cu12Sb4S13 and Cu11Fe1Sb4S13 ist Eisen überwiegend dreiwertig. Zwischen Cu11Fe1Sb4S13 and Cu11Fe2Sb4S13 ist Eisen überwiegend zweiwertig und besetzt die tetraedrisch koordinierten M1-Plätze.

A Mössbauer and X-ray diffraction study of annites synthesized at different oxygen fugacities and crystal chemical implications

A refined set of Mössbauer parameters (isomer shifts, quadrupole splittings, Fe2+/Fe3+ ratios) and lattice parameters were obtained from annites synthesized hydrothermally at pressures between 3 and 5 kbars, temperatures ranging from 250 to 780° C and oxygen fugacities controlled by solid state buffers (NNO, QMF, IM, IQF). Mössbauer spectra showed Fe2+ and Fe3+ on both the M1 and the M2 site. A linear relationship between Fe3+ content and oxygen fugacity was observed. Towards low Fe3+ values this linear relationship ends at ≈10% of total iron showing that the Fe3+ content cannot be reduced further even if more reducing conditions are used. This indicates that in annite at least 10% Fe2+ are substituted by Fe3+ in order to match the larger octahedral layer to the smaller tetrahedral layer. IR spectra indicate that formation of octahedral vacancies plays an important role for charge balance through the substitution 3 Fe2+ → 2 Fe3+ + ▪(oct).

DFT Study of the Role of Al3+ in the Fast Ion-Conductor Li7–3xAl3+xLa3Zr2O12 Garnet

We investigate theoretically the site occupancy of Al3+ in the fast-ion-conducting cubic-garnet Li7–3xAl3+xLa3Zr2O12 (Ia-3d) using density functional theory. By comparing calculated and measured 27Al NMR chemical shifts an analysis shows that Al3+ prefers the tetrahedrally coordinated 24d site and a distorted 4-fold coordinated 96h site. The site energies for Al3+ ions, which are slightly displaced from the exact crystallographic sites (i.e., 24d and 96h), are similar leading to a distribution of slightly different local oxygen coordination environments. Thus, broad 27Al NMR resonances result reflecting the distribution of different isotropic chemical shifts and quadrupole coupling constants. From an energetic point of view, there is evidence that Al3+ could also occupy the 48g site with its almost regular octahedral coordination sphere. Although this has been reported by neutron powder diffraction, the NMR chemical shift calculated for such an Al3+ site has not been observed experimentally.

A Synthesis and Crystal Chemical Study of the Fast Ion Conductor Li7–3xGaxLa3 Zr2O12 with x = 0.08 to 0.84

Fast-conducting phase-pure cubic Ga-bearing Li7La3Zr2O12 was obtained using solid-state synthesis methods with 0.08 to 0.52 Ga3+ pfu in the garnet. An upper limit of 0.72 Ga3+ pfu in garnet was obtained, but the synthesis was accompanied by small amounts of La2Zr2O12 and LiGaO3. The synthetic products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, electron microprobe and SEM analyses, ICP-OES measurements, and 71Ga MAS NMR spectroscopy. The unit-cell parameter, a0, of the various garnets does not vary significantly as a function of Ga3+ content, with a value of about 12.984(4) Å. Full chemical analyses for the solid solutions were obtained giving: Li7.08Ga0.06La2.93Zr2.02O12, Li6.50Ga0.15La2.96Zr2.05O12, Li6.48Ga0.23La2.93Zr2.04O12, Li5.93Ga0.36La2.94Zr2.01O12, Li5.38Ga0.53La2.96Zr1.99O12, Li4.82Ga0.60La2.96Zr2.00O12, and Li4.53Ga0.72La2.94Zr1.98O12. The NMR spectra are interpreted as indicating that Ga3+ mainly occurs in a distorted 4-fold coordinated environment that probably corresponds to the general 96h crystallographic site of garnet.

Crystal Structure of Garnet-Related Li-Ion Conductor Li7–3xGaxLa3Zr2O12: Fast Li-Ion Conduction Caused by a Different Cubic Modification?

Li-oxide garnets such as Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) are among the most promising candidates for solid-state electrolytes to be used in next-generation Li-ion batteries. The garnet-structured cubic modification of LLZO, showing space group Ia-3d, has to be stabilized with supervalent cations. LLZO stabilized with Ga3+ shows superior properties compared to LLZO stabilized with similar cations; however, the reason for this behavior is still unknown. In this study, a comprehensive structural characterization of Ga-stabilized LLZO is performed by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Coarse-grained samples with crystal sizes of several hundred micrometers are obtained by solid-state reaction. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction results show that Li7–3xGaxLa3Zr2O12 with x > 0.07 crystallizes in the acentric cubic space group I-43d. This is the first definite record of this cubic modification for LLZO materials and might explain the superior electrochemical performance of Ga-stabilized LLZO compared to its Al-stabilized counterpart. The phase transition seems to be caused by the site preference of Ga3+. 7Li NMR spectroscopy indicates an additional Li-ion diffusion process for LLZO with space group I-43d compared to space group Ia-3d. Despite all efforts undertaken to reveal structure–property relationships for this class of materials, this study highlights the potential for new discoveries.