RESUMEN
Bismuth ferrite (BFO, BiFeO3), exhibiting both ferromagnetic and ferroelectric properties at room temperature, is one of the most researched multiferroic materials with a growing number of technological applications. In the present study, using a combined theoretical-experimental approach, we have investigated the influence of Ho-doping on the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of BFO. Synthesis and structural XRD characterization of Bi1-xHoxFeO3 (x = 0.02, 0.05, and 0.10) nanopowders have been completed. After structure prediction of Ho-doped BiFeO3 using bond valence calculations (BVC), six most favorable candidates were found: α-, ß-, γ-, R-, T1, and T2. Furthermore, all structure candidates have been examined for different magnetic ordering using DFT calculations. The magnetic behavior of the synthesized materials was investigated using a SQUID magnetometer equipped with an oven. The plethora of magnetic and electronic properties of the Ho-doped BFO that our theoretical research predicted can open up rich possibilities for further investigation and eventual applications.
RESUMEN
Hybrid metal-organic compounds as relatively new and prosperous magnetoelectric multiferroics provide opportunities to improve the polarization, magnetization and magneto-electric coupling at the same time, which usually have some limitations in the common type-I and type-II multiferroics. In this work we investigate the crystal of guanidinium copper (II) formate [C(NH2)3]Cu(HCOO)3 and give novel insights concerning the structure, magnetic, electric and magneto-electric behaviour of this interesting material. Detailed analysis of crystal structure at 100 K is given. Magnetization points to the copper (II) formate spin-chain phase that becomes ordered below 4.6 K into the canted antiferromagnetic (AFM) state, as a result of super-exchange interaction over different formate bridges. The performed ab-initio colinear density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirm the AFM-like ground state as a first approximation and explain the coupling of spin-chains into the AFM ordered lattice. In versatile measurements of magnetization of a crystal, including transverse component besides the longitudinal one, very large anisotropy is found that might originate from canting of the coordination octahedra around copper (II) in cooperation with the canted AFM order. With cooling down in zero fields the generation of spontaneous polarization is observed step-wise below 270 K and 210 K and the effect of magnetic field on its value is observed also in the paramagnetic phase. Measured polarization is somewhat smaller than the DFT value in the c-direction, possibly due to twin domains present in the crystal. The considerable magneto-electric coupling below the magnetic transition temperature is measured with different orientations of the crystal in magnetic field, giving altogether the new light onto the magneto-electric effect in this material.
RESUMEN
The heterodimetallic [CuFe] compounds [CuII4(terpy)4Cl5][FeIII(C2O4)3]·10H2O (1;terpy = 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine), [CuII2(H2O)2(terpy)2(C2O4)][CuIIFeIII(CH3OH)(terpy)(C2O4)3]2 (2), and {[Cu2IIFeIII(H2O)(terpy)2(C2O4)7/2]·6H2O}n (3) were obtained using building block approach, from reaction of aqueous solution of [Fe(C2O4)3]3- and a methanol solution containing Cu2+ ions and terpy by the layering technique. Interestingly, by changing only the anion of the starting salt of copper(II), Cu(NO3)2·3H2O instead of CuCl2·2H2O, an unexpected change in the type of bridge, oxalate (2 and 3) versus chloride (1), was achieved, thus affecting the overall structural architecture. Two polymorphs of 3D coordination polymer [CuIIFeII2(H2O)(terpy)(C2O4)3]n (4), crystallizing in the triclinic (a) and monoclinic (b) space groups, were formed hydrothermally, depending on whether CuCl2·2H2O or Cu(NO3)2·3H2O was added to the water, besides K3[Fe(C2O4)3]·3H2O and terpy, respectively. Under hydrothermal conditions iron(III) from initial building block is reduced to the divalent state, creating 2D honeycomb [FeII2(C2O4)3]n2n- layers, which are bridged by [Cu(H2O)(terpy)]2+ cations. Compounds were investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR, and impedance spectroscopies, magnetization measurements, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In compounds 1 and 2, 0D magnetism is observed, with 1 having a ground-state spin of 1 due to different interactions through chloride bridges of Cu2+ ions in tetramer [CuII4(terpy)4Cl5]3+ and 2 showing strong antiferromagnetic coupling of Cu2+ ions mediated by oxalate ligand in [CuII2(H2O)2(terpy)2(C2O4)]2+ and weak ones between Cu2+ and Fe3+ ions through oxalate bridge in [CuIIFeIII(CH3OH)(terpy)(C2O4)3]-. Polymer 4 exhibits antiferromagnetic phase transition at 25 K: The [FeII2(C2O4)3]n2n- layers are antiferromagnetically ordered, and a small amount of interlayer interaction is transferred through [Cu(H2O)(terpy)]2+ cations via Oox-Cu-Oox bridges. Additionally, compounds 1 and 2 are electrical insulators, while 4a and 4b show proton conductivity.
RESUMEN
Three heterometallic one-dimensional (1D) coordination polymers {A[CrCu2(bpy)2(C2O4)4]·H2O}n [A = K+ (1) and NH4+ (2); bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine] and [(Cr2O7)Cu2(C2O4)(phen)2]n (3; phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) with uncommon topology have been synthesized using a building block approach and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR and impedance spectroscopies, magnetization measurements, and DFT calculations. Due to the partial decomposition of the building block [Cr(C2O4)3]3-, all three compounds contain oxalate-bridged [Cu2(L)2(µ-C2O4)]2+ units [L = bpy (1 and 2) and phen (3)]. In compounds 1 and 2 these cations are mutually connected through oxalate groups from [Cr(C2O4)3]3-, thus forming ladder-like topologies. Unusually, three different bridging modes of the oxalate ligand are observed in these chains. In compound 3 copper(ii) ions from cationic units are bridged through the oxygen atoms of Cr2O72- anions in a novel ladder-like mode. Very strong antiferromagnetic coupling observed in all three compounds, determined from the magnetization measurements and confirmed by DFT calculations (J = -343, -371 and -340 cm-1 for 1, 2 and 3, respectively), appears between two copper(ii) ions interacting through the oxalate bridge.
RESUMEN
Three heterometallic oxo-bridged compounds, [Cr2(phen)4(µ-O)4Nb2(C2O4)4]·2H2O (1; phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), [Cr2(terpy)2(H2O)2(µ-O)4Nb2(C2O4)4]·4H2O (2; terpy = 2,2';6',2''-terpyridine) and [Cr(terpy)(C2O4)(H2O)][Cr2(terpy)2(C2O4)2(µ-O)2Nb(C2O4)2]·3H2O (3), have been synthesized using a building block approach and characterized by IR spectroscopy, single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, magnetization measurements, and DFT calculations. The molecular structures of 1 and 2, crystallizing in P42212 and P21/n space groups, respectively, contain a square-shaped {Cr(µ-O)4Nb} unit, while that of complex salt 3 (P1[combining macron] space group) consists of a mononuclear cation containing CrIII and trinuclear anions in which two CrIII ions are bridged by a -O-NbV-O- fragment. Besides hydrogen-bonding patterns resulting in a 1D- or 3D-supramolecular arrangement in 1-3, an unusual intermolecular contact has been noticed between parallel oxalate moieties occurring due to the electrostatic attraction of electron-rich carbonyl oxygen and severely electron-depleted carbon atoms in the crystal packing of 2. The antiferromagnetic coupling observed in all three compounds, determined from magnetization measurements (J = -13.51(2), -8.41(1) and -7.44(4) cm-1 for 1, 2 and 3, respectively) and confirmed by DFT calculations, originates from two CrIII ions with spin 3/2 interacting through diamagnetic -O-NbV-O- bridge(s).
RESUMEN
The reaction of bis(phenanthroline)metal(ii) cations (M = Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+ and Zn2+) with bis(oxalato)chromium(iii) anions in a water/ethanol solution gives rise to a series of compounds with oxalate-bridged cations, [{M(phen)2}2(µ-C2O4)][Cr(phen)(C2O4)2]2·4H2O [Mn2Cr2 (1), Co2Cr2 (2), Ni2Cr2 (3), Cu2Cr2 (4) and Zn2Cr2 (5)]. Their structural analysis reveals that all the prepared compounds crystallize in the triclinic system, space group P1[combining macron], having similar unit cell parameters, molecular structures and crystal packing features. All metal centres in 1-5 are octahedrally coordinated: M2+ in homodinuclear cations are coordinated with two phen molecules and one bridging oxalate ligand; Cr3+ in anions is coordinated with one phen ligand and two bidentate oxalate groups. The copper atom in Cu2Cr2 (4) exhibits a Jahn-Teller-distorted octahedral coordination. Owing to the considerable number of pyridyl groups present in 1-5 (from phen ligands) the crystal packing of cations and anions is driven by stacking interactions appearing in offset-face-to-face (OFF) and edge-to-face (EF) orientations. The hydrogen bonds between the anions and water molecules of crystallization form 1D ladder-like motifs. In addition to the single crystal X-ray diffraction studies, the characterization of the new complexes was accomplished by means of IR and UV/Vis spectroscopy and magnetization measurements on a SQUID magnetometer. The temperature dependence of magnetic susceptibility reveals different magnetic super exchange interactions taking place in homodinuclear oxalate-bridged cations depending on the transition metal centre (Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+ and Cu2+). Oxalate ligands mediate the ferromagnetic coupling of Cu2+ metal cations in Cu2Cr2 (4), whereas in Mn2Cr2 (1), Co2Cr2 (2) and Ni2Cr2 (3), antiferromagnetic interactions are observed between Mn2+, Co2+ and Ni2+ cations, respectively. Also, relatively large zero-field splitting parameters for Cr3+ ions (from mononuclear anions), D ≈ 1 cm-1, were observed.
RESUMEN
The synthesis and properties of a novel hetero-tetranuclear compound [Cr2(bpy)4(µ-O)4Nb2(C2O4)4]·3H2O (1; bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine), investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, magnetization measurements, IR, UV/visible spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR; X- and Q-bands and high-field), and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, are reported. Crystal structure of 1 (orthorhombic Pcab space group) consists of a square-shaped macrocyclic {Cr2(µ-O)4Nb2} core in which CrIII and NbV ions are alternately bridged by oxo ions and three uncoordinated water molecules. The intramolecular CrIII···CrIII distances through the -O-NbV-O- bridges are 7.410(2) and 7.419(2) Å, while diagonal separation is 5.406(2) Å. The temperature dependence of magnetization M(T) evidences an anti-ferromagnetic ground state, which originates from a magnetic interaction between two CrIII ions of spin 3/2 through two triatomic -O-NbV-O- diamagnetic bridges. A spin Hamiltonian appropriate for polynuclear isolated magnetic units was used. The best-fitting curve for this model is obtained with the parameters gCr = 1.992(3), J = -12.77(5) cm-1, and |D| = 0.17(4) cm-1. The CrIII···CrIII dimer model is confirmed by EPR spectra, which exhibit a pronounced change of their shape around the temperature corresponding to the intradimer coupling J. The EPR spectra simulations and DFT calculations reveal the presence of a single-ion anisotropy that is close to being uniaxial, D = -0.31 cm-1 and E = 0.024 cm-1.
