Tuning the Structural and Magnetic Properties in Mixed Cation MnxCo2-xP2S6.

The metal thiophosphates (MTP), M2P2S6, are a versatile class of van der Waals materials, which are notable for the possibility of tuning their magnetic properties with the incorporation of different transition-metal cations. Further, they also offer opportunities to probe the independent and synergistic role of the magnetically active cation sublattice when coupled to P2Q6 polyhedra. Herein, we report the structural, magnetic, and electronic properties of the series of MTPs, MnxCo2-xP2S6 (x = 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 1.75) synthesized by the P2S5 flux method. Structural and elemental analysis indicates a homogeneous stoichiometry in the MnxCo2-xP2S6 compounds. We observe that a correlation is apparent between the intensities of specific Raman modes and Raman shifts with respect to the alloying ratio between Mn and Co. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate that the alloyed systems adopt an ordered antiferromagnetic (AFM) configuration with a dependence of the Néel temperature on the alloying ratio. A possible magnetic frustration behavior was observed for the composition MnCoP2S6 due to magnetic moment compensation as the alloying ratio between Mn and Co approaches parity. Interestingly, mixed oxidation states of the metal cation species are also observed in MnxCo2-xP2S6 along with a linear dependence of the work function on the alloying ratio of Mn and Co.

Heteroanionic Control of Exemplary Second-Harmonic Generation and Phase Matchability in 1D LiAsS2-xSex.

The isostructural heteroanionic compounds ß-LiAsS2-xSex (x = 0, 0.25, 1, 1.75, 2) show a positive correlation between selenium content and second-harmonic response and greatly outperform the industry standard AgGaSe2. These materials crystallize in the noncentrosymmetric space group Cc as one-dimensional 1/∞ [AsQ2]- (Q = S, Se, S/Se) chains consisting of corner-sharing AsQ3 trigonal pyramids with charge-balancing Li+ atoms interspersed between the chains. LiAsS2-xSex melts congruently for 0 ≤ x ≤ 1.75, but when the Se content exceeds x = 1.75, crystallization is complicated by a phase transition. This behavior is attributed to the ß- to α-phase transition present in LiAsSe2, which is observed in the Se-rich compositions. The band gap decreases with increasing Se content, starting at 1.63 eV (LiAsS2) and reaching 1.06 eV (ß-LiAsSe2). Second-harmonic generation measurements as a function of wavelength on powder samples of ß-LiAsS2-xSex show that these materials exhibit significantly higher nonlinearity than AgGaSe2 (d36 = 33 pm/V), reaching a maximum of 61.2 pm/V for LiAsS2. In comparison, single-crystal measurements for LiAsSSe yielded a deff = 410 pm/V. LiAsSSe, LiAsS0.25Se1.75, and ß-LiAsSe2 show phase-matching behavior for incident wavelengths exceeding 3 µm. The laser-induced damage thresholds from two-photon absorption processes are on the same order of magnitude as AgGaSe2, with S-rich materials slightly outperforming AgGaSe2 and Se-rich materials slightly underperforming AgGaSe2.

Structure Tuning, Strong Second Harmonic Generation Response, and High Optical Stability of the Polar Semiconductors Na1-xKxAsQ2.

The mixed cation compounds Na1-xKxAsSe2 (x = 0.8, 0.65, 0.5) and Na0.1K0.9AsS2 crystallize in the polar noncentrosymmetric space group Cc. The AAsQ2 (A = alkali metals, Q = S, Se) family features one-dimensional (1D) 1/∞[AQ2-] chains comprising corner-sharing pyramidal AQ3 units in which the packing of these chains is dependent on the alkali metals. The parallel 1/∞[AQ2-] chains interact via short As···Se contacts, which increase in length when the fraction of K atoms is increased. The increase in the As···Se interchain distance increases the band gap from 1.75 eV in γ-NaAsSe2 to 2.01 eV in Na0.35K0.65AsSe2, 2.07 eV in Na0.2K0.8AsSe2, and 2.18 eV in Na0.1K0.9AsS2. The Na1-xKxAsSe2 (x = 0.8, 0.65) compounds melt congruently at approximately 316 °C. Wavelength-dependent second harmonic generation (SHG) measurements on powder samples of Na1-xKxAsSe2 (x = 0.8, 0.65, 0.5) and Na0.1K0.9AsS2 suggest that Na0.2K0.8AsSe2 and Na0.1K0.9AsS2 have the highest SHG response and exhibit significantly higher laser-induced damage thresholds (LIDTs). Theoretical SHG calculations on Na0.5K0.5AsSe2 confirm its SHG response with the highest value of d33 = 22.5 pm/V (χ333(2) = 45.0 pm/V). The effective nonlinearity for a randomly oriented powder is calculated to be deff = 18.9 pm/V (χeff(2) = 37.8 pm/V), which is consistent with the experimentally obtained value of deff = 16.5 pm/V (χeff(2) = 33.0 pm/V). Three-photon absorption is the dominant mechanism for the optical breakdown of the compounds under intense excitation at 1580 nm, with Na0.2K0.8AsSe2 exhibiting the highest stability.

Mixed Metal Thiophosphate Fe2-xCoxP2S6: Role of Structural Evolution and Anisotropy.

Metal chalcophosphates, M2P2Q6 (M = transition metals; Q = chalcogen), are notable among the van der Waals materials family for their potential magnetic ordering that can be tuned with an appropriate choice of the metal or chalcogen. However, there has not been a systematic investigation of the basic structural evolution in these systems with alloying of the crystal subunits due to the challenge in the diffusion process of mixing different metal cations in the octahedral sites of M2P2Q6 materials. In this work, the P2S5 flux method was used to enable the synthesis of a multilayered mixed metal thiophosphate Fe2-xCoxP2S6 (x = 0, 0.25, 1, 1.75, and 2) system. Here, we studied the structural, vibrational, and electronic fingerprints of this mixed M2P2Q6 system. Structural and elemental analyses indicate a homogeneous stoichiometry averaged through the sample over multiple layers of Fe2-xCoxP2S6 compounds. It was observed that there is a correlation between the intensity of specific phonon modes and the alloying concentration. The increasing Co alloying concentration shows direct relations to the in-plane [P2S6]4- and out-of-plane P-P dimer vibrations. Interestingly, an unusual nonlinear electronic structure dependence on the metal alloying ratio is found and confirmed by two distinct work functions within the Fe2-xCoxP2S6 system. We believe this work provides a fundamental structural framework for mixed metal thiophosphate systems, which may assist in future studies on electronic and magnetic applications of this emerging class of binary cation materials.

P2S5 Reactive Flux Method for the Rapid Synthesis of Mono- and Bimetallic 2D Thiophosphates M2-xM'xP2S6.

We report a reactive flux technique using the common reagent P2S5 and metal precursors developed to circumvent the synthetic bottleneck for producing high-quality single- and mixed-metal two-dimensional (2D) thiophosphate materials. For the monometallic compound, M2P2S6 (M = Ni, Fe, and Mn), phase-pure materials were quickly synthesized and annealed at 650 °C for 1 h. Crystals of dimensions of several millimeters were grown for some of the metal thiophosphates using optimized heating profiles. The homogeneity of the bimetallic thiophosphates MM'P2S6 (M, M' = Ni, Fe, and Mn) was elucidated using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Rietveld refinement. The quality of the selected materials was characterized by transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy measurements. We report two novel bimetallic thiophosphates, MnCoP2S6 and FeCoP2S6. The Ni2P2S6 and MnNiP2S6 flux reactions were monitored in situ using variable-temperature powder X-ray diffraction to understand the formation reaction pathways. The phases were directly formed in a single step at approximately 375 °C. The work functions of the semiconducting materials were determined and ranged from 5.28 to 5.72 eV.

An Old Dog with New Tricks - Additions to the Cesium Lithium Chloride System: Cs3Li2Cl5 and the Hydrated Cs3LiCl4 · 4H2O.

The CsCl/LiCl system has been studied for over a century now. Numerous phases have been predicted - only three have hitherto been found. We present the synthesis and single-crystal structure of the cesium lithium pentachloride Cs3Li2Cl5, predicted earlier but with a different structure. The anhydrous new phase readily reacts to Cs3LiCl4 · 4H2O in air. The tetrahydrate can also be obtained through the simplest, most inexpensive and green synthesis possible: an immediate, room-temperature mechanosynthesis from only CsCl and LiCl (3 : 1) in air. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analyses (TGA), as well as in situ temperature-dependent powder X-ray diffraction studies on this second ever reported ternary alkali chloride hydrate allowed for a revision of the CsCl/LiCl phase diagram. Density of states and total energy calculations further elucidate the new alkali chlorides and update the relative stability of previous structure predictions.

Alkaline Earth Metal-Organic Frameworks with Tailorable Ion Release: A Path for Supporting Biomineralization.

An innovative application of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is in biomedical materials. To treat bone demineralization, which is a hallmark of osteoporosis, biocompatible MOFs (bioMOFs) have been proposed in which various components, such as alkaline-earth cations and bisphosphonate molecules, can be delivered to maintain normal bone density. Multicomponent bioMOFs that release several components simultaneously at a controlled rate thus offer an attractive solution. We report two new bioMOFs, comprising strontium and calcium ions linked by p-xylylenebisphosphonate molecules that release these three components and display no cytotoxic effects on human osteosarcoma cells. Varying the Sr2+/Ca2+ ratio in these bioMOFs causes the rate of ions dissolving into simulated body fluid to be unique; along with the ability to adsorb proteins, this property is crucial for future efforts in drug-release control and promotion of mineral formation. The one-pot synthesis of these bioMOFs demonstrates the utility of MOF design strategies.

Not Just Par for the Course: 73 Quaternary Germanides RE4 M2 XGe4 ( RE = La-Nd, Sm, Gd-Tm, Lu; M = Mn-Ni; X = Ag, Cd) and the Search for Intermetallics with Low Thermal Conductivity.

A total of 73 new quaternary rare-earth germanides RE4 M2 XGe4 ( RE = rare-earth metal; M = Mn-Ni; X = Ag, Cd) were prepared through reactions of the elements. The solid solution Nd4Mn2Cd(Ge1- ySi y)4 was also prepared under the same conditions and found to be complete over the entire range. All of these compounds adopt the monoclinic Ho4Ni2InGe4-type structure (space group C2/ m, a = 14.2-16.7 Å, b = 4.0-4.6 Å, c = 6.8-7.5 Å, ß = 106-109°), as revealed by powder X-ray diffraction analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis on selected members. The structure determination of Nd4(Mn0.78(1)Ag0.22(1))2Ag0.83(1)Ge4 disclosed disorder of Mn and Ag atoms within the tetrahedral site and Ag deficiencies within the square planar site. Within the solid solution Nd4Mn2Cd(Ge1- ySi y)4, the end-members and two intermediate members were structurally characterized; as the Si content increases, the Cd sites become less deficient and the individual [Mn2 Tt2] layers contract but become further apart from each other. Electronic band structure calculations confirm that the Ag-Ge or Cd-Ge bonds are the weakest in the structure and thus prone to distortion. Thermal property measurements confirm expectations from machine-learning predictions that these quaternary germanides should exhibit low thermal conductivity, which was found to be <10 W m-1 K-1 for Nd4Mn2AgGe4.

Quaternary chalcogenides BaRE2In2Ch7 (RE = La-Nd; Ch = S, Se) containing InCh5 trigonal bipyramids.

Eight new quaternary chalcogenides BaRE2In2Ch7 (RE = La-Nd; Ch = S, Se) have been prepared by reactions of BaCh, In2Ch3, RE, and Ch at high temperatures. They adopt orthorhombic structures (space group Pbam, Z = 2; a = 11.6300(8)-11.5895(7) Å, b = 12.4202(9)-12.3001(8) Å, c = 4.0689(3)-4.0028(2) Å for the sulfides; a = 12.1515(6)-12.1358(10) Å, b = 12.9367(7)-12.8510(11) Å, c = 4.1966(2)-4.1363(4) Å for the selenides) containing one-dimensional anionic [In2Ch7] ribbons of corner-sharing InCh5 trigonal bipyramids, separated by Ba and RE cations. The structure is an ordered variant of the rare Eu3Sn2S7-type with Ba atoms occupying larger sites with nearly cubic geometry and RE atoms occupying smaller sites with bicapped trigonal prismatic geometry. The InCh5 trigonal bipyramids, which are unusual, exhibit four shorter In-Ch bonds and a fifth longer one. Band structure calculations indicate that BaLa2In2S7 is a direct gap semiconductor, and corroborate the description of the In coordination as CN4 + 1. On the basis of the optical absorption spectra, band gaps were estimated to be 1.87(2) eV for BaLa2In2S7 and 1.66(2) eV for BaLa2In2Se7.

Ligand mediated valence fluctuation of copper in new hybrid materials constructed from decavanadate and a Cu(1,10-phenanthroline) complex.

Two new organic hybrid materials [H4V10O28][CuCl(H2O)2(1,10-phenanthroline)]2·4H2O (V10O28-CuCl-phen) and [H4V10O28][Cu(H2O)3(1,10-phenanthroline)]2·4H2O (V10O28-CuO-phen) were synthesized at room temperature. The effect of the presence and absence of AlCl3 on the single crystal growth of the two compounds was studied. The compounds were characterized using single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy, infra-red spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. XRD studies on selected single crystals suggest that the compounds consist of supramolecular 3D layer structures constructed from a tetra-protonated [V10O28] unit and the organometallic complex Cu(1,10-phen) with Cl and 2H2O molecules in the presence of AlCl3 in V10O28-CuCl-phen and with 3H2O molecules in V10O28-CuO-phen which was confirmed by TGA studies. Both compounds crystallize in the triclinic space group P1[combining macron]: a = 8.3886(3) Å, b = 10.4266(4) Å, c = 13.5860(5) Å, α = 92.440(2)°, ß = 92.315(2)°, γ = 98.160(2)° for V10O28-CuCl-phen and a = 8.3733(5) Å, b = 10.4132(6) Å, c = 13.5904(8) Å, α = 92.295(4)°, ß = 92.331(2)°, γ = 98.086(4)° for V10O28-CuO-phen. Magnetic measurements suggest that Cu exists in magnetic +2 oxidation state in V10O28-CuCl-phen and non-magnetic +1 oxidation state in V10O28-CuO-phen.

Two-dimensional bicapped supramolecular hybrid semiconductor material constructed from the insulators α-Keggin polyoxomolybdate and 4,4'-bipyridine.

A new organic-inorganic hybrid material [SiMo14O44](H4,4'-bpy)2·xH2O (4,4'-bpy = 4,4'-bipyridine) was synthesized using a hydrothermal method. The compound was characterized using single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). XRD studies on selected single crystals suggested that the compound consists of supramolecular 2D layer structures composed of capped α-Keggin polyoxomolybdate anions and 4,4'-bpy organic ligands. Absorption measurements show a band gap of 2.99 eV in the hybrid which suggests a semiconducting nature compared to the insulating free α-Keggin and 4,4'-bpy. The magnetic susceptibility of the hybrid material was investigated in the temperature range 1.8-300 K obeying the Curie-Weiss law above 70 K. Experimentally measured magnetic moment of 2.71 µB/formula indicates possible mixed valent molybdenum in the compound. The XPS measurements confirm the presence of both Mo(V) and Mo(VI) in the ratio 15:85 resulting in the structural formula of the hybrid as [SiMo(V)2Mo(VI)12O44](H4,4'-bpy)2·xH2O.