The Fluorite-Like Phase Nd5Mo3O16±Î´ in the MoO3-Nd2O3 System: Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Conducting Properties.

This paper describes a study of the system MoO3-Nd2O3 using a combination of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), neutron powder diffraction (NPD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and ac impedance spectroscopy (IS). A phase-pure material is observed at a composition of 45.5 mol % Nd2O3, which corresponds to an ideal stoichiometry of Nd5Mo3O16.5. XRD and NPD show that the crystal structure is a superstructure of the fluorite arrangement, with long-range ordering of the two cation species leading to a doubled unit cell parameter. The sample is found to be significantly oxygen deficient, i.e. Nd5Mo3O15.63(4), when it is prepared by a solid-state reaction at 1473 K in air. TGA measurements indicate that the sample loses only minimal mass on heating to 1273 K in O2. IS studies of the mean conductivity under different atmospheres show that the sample is a mixed conductor between ambient temperature and 873 K, with a dominant electronic component at higher temperatures, as demonstrated by measurements under inert atmosphere. NPD measurements indicate that the anion vacancies are preferentially located on the O2 sites, while studies of the temperature dependence performed under an O2 atmosphere to 1273 K show significantly anisotropic thermal parameters of the anions. Together with analysis of the total neutron scattering data, this supports a model of oxygen ions hopping between O2 positions, with a vacancy, rather than interstitial, mechanism for the anion diffusion.

C-type related order in the defective fluorites La2Ce2O7 and Nd2Ce2O7 studied by neutron scattering and ab initio MD simulations.

This work presents a structural investigation of La2-xNdxCe2O7 (x = 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0) using X-ray powder diffraction and total scattering neutron powder diffraction, analysed using Rietveld and the reverse Monte Carlo method (RMC). Ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) modelling is also performed for further investigations of the local order. The main intensities in the neutron diffraction data for the La2-xNdxCe2O7 series correspond to the fluorite structure. However, additional C-type superlattice peaks are visible for x > 0 and increase in intensity with increasing x. The Nd-containing compositions (x > 0) are best fitted with Rietveld analysis by using a combination of oxygen deficient fluorite and oxygen excess C-type structures. No indications of cation order are found in the RMC or Rietveld analysis, and the absence of cation order is supported by the MD modelling. We argue that the superlattice peaks originate from oxygen vacancy ordering and associated shift in the cation position away from the ideal fluorite site similar to that in the C-type structure, which is seen from the Rietveld refinements and the observed ordering in the MD modelling. The vacancies favour alignments in the 〈110〉, 〈111〉 and especially the 〈210〉 direction. Moreover, we find that such ordering might also be found to a small extent in La2Ce2O7, explaining the discernible modulated background between the fluorite peaks. The observed overlap of the main Bragg peaks between the fluorite and C-type phase supports the co-existence of vacancy ordered and more disordered domains. This is further supported by the observed similarity of the radial distribution functions as modelled with MD. The increase in long range oxygen vacancy order with increasing Nd-content in La2-xNdxCe2O7 corresponds well with the lower oxide ion conductivity in Nd2Ce2O7 compared to La2Ce2O7 reported earlier.

Structural and vibrational properties of silyl (SiH3(-)) anions in KSiH3 and RbSiH3: new insight into Si-H interactions.

The alkali metal silyl hydrides ASiH3 (A = K, Rb) and their deuteride analogues were prepared from the Zintl phases ASi. The crystal structures of ASiH3 consist of metal cations and pyramidal SiH3(-) ions. At room temperature SiH3(-) moieties are randomly oriented (α modifications). At temperatures below 200 K ASiH3 exist as ordered low-temperature (ß) modifications. Structural and vibrational properties of SiH3(-) in ASiH3 were characterized by a combination of neutron total scattering experiments, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, as well as density functional theory calculations. In disordered α-ASiH3 SiH3(-) ions relate closely to freely rotating moieties with C3v symmetry (Si-H bond length = 1.52 Å; H-Si-H angle 92.2 °). Observed stretches and bends are at 1909/1903 cm(-1) (ν1, A1), 1883/1872 cm(-1) (ν3, E), 988/986 cm(-1) (ν4, E), and 897/894 cm(-1) (ν2, A1) for A = K/Rb. In ordered ß-ASiH3 silyl anions are slightly distorted with respect to their ideal C3v symmetry. Compared to α-ASiH3 the molar volume is by about 15% smaller and the Si-H stretching force constant is reduced by 4%. These peculiarities are attributed to reorientational dynamics of SiH3(-) anions in α-ASiH3. Si-H stretching force constants for SiH3(-) moieties in various environments fall in a range from 1.9 to 2.05 N cm(-1). These values are considerably smaller compared to silane, SiH4 (2.77 N cm(-1)). The reason for the drastic reduction of bond strength in SiH3(-) remains to be explored.

Atomic-level structure determination of amorphous molecular solids by NMR.

Structure determination of amorphous materials remains challenging, owing to the disorder inherent to these materials. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) powder crystallography is a powerful method to determine the structure of molecular solids, but disorder leads to a high degree of overlap between measured signals, and prevents the unambiguous identification of a single modeled periodic structure as representative of the whole material. Here, we determine the atomic-level ensemble structure of the amorphous form of the drug AZD4625 by combining solid-state NMR experiments with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and machine-learned chemical shifts. By considering the combined shifts of all 1H and 13C atomic sites in the molecule, we determine the structure of the amorphous form by identifying an ensemble of local molecular environments that are in agreement with experiment. We then extract and analyze preferred conformations and intermolecular interactions in the amorphous sample in terms of the stabilization of the amorphous form of the drug.

Structure determination of an amorphous drug through large-scale NMR predictions.

Knowledge of the structure of amorphous solids can direct, for example, the optimization of pharmaceutical formulations, but atomic-level structure determination in amorphous molecular solids has so far not been possible. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is among the most popular methods to characterize amorphous materials, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations can help describe the structure of disordered materials. However, directly relating MD to NMR experiments in molecular solids has been out of reach until now because of the large size of these simulations. Here, using a machine learning model of chemical shifts, we determine the atomic-level structure of the hydrated amorphous drug AZD5718 by combining dynamic nuclear polarization-enhanced solid-state NMR experiments with predicted chemical shifts for MD simulations of large systems. From these amorphous structures we then identify H-bonding motifs and relate them to local intermolecular complex formation energies.

The crystal structure, morphology and mechanical properties of diaquabis(omeprazolate)magnesium dihydrate.

The crystal structure of diaquabis(omeprazolate)magnesium dihydrate (DABOMD) in the solid state has been determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Single crystals of DABOMD were obtained by slow crystallization in ethanol with water used as an antisolvent. The crystal structure shows a dihydrated salt comprising a magnesium cation coordinating two omeprazolate anions and two water molecules (W1) that are strongly bound to magnesium. In addition, two further water molecules (W2) are more weakly hydrogen-bonded to the pyridine nitrogen atom of each omeprazolate anion. The crystal structure was utilized to estimate key material properties for DABOMD, including crystal habit and mechanical properties, which are required for improved understanding and prediction of the behaviour of particles during pharmaceutical processing such as milling. The results from the material properties calculations indicate that DABOMD exhibits a hexagonal morphology and consists of a flat slip plane through the (100) face. It can be classed as a soft material based on elastic constant calculation and exhibits a two-dimensional hydrogen-bonding framework. Based on the crystal structure, habit and mechanical properties, it is anticipated that DABOMD will experience large disorder accompanied by plastic deformation during milling.

Local structure and ionic conductivity in the Zr(2)Y(2)O(7)-Y(3)NbO(7) system.

The Zr(0.5-0.5x)Y(0.5+0.25x)Nb(0.25x)O(1.75) solid solution possesses an anion-deficient fluorite structure across the entire 0≤x≤1 range. The relationship between the disorder within the crystalline lattice and the preferred anion diffusion mechanism has been studied as a function of x, using impedance spectroscopy measurements of the ionic conductivity (σ), powder neutron diffraction studies, including analysis of the 'total' scattering to probe the nature of the short-range correlations between ions using reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) modelling, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using potentials derived with a strong ab initio basis. The highest total ionic conductivity (σ = 2.66 × 10(-2) Ω(-1) cm(-1) at 1473 K) is measured for the Zr(2)Y(2)O(7) (x = 0) end member, with a decrease in σ with increasing x, whilst the neutron diffraction studies show an increase in lattice disorder with x. This apparent contradiction can be understood by considering the local structural distortions around the various cation species, as determined from the RMC modelling and MD simulations. The addition of Nb(5+) and its stronger Coulomb interaction generates a more disordered local structure and enhances the mobility of some anions. However, the influence of these pentavalent cations is outweighed by the effect of the additional Y(3+) cations introduced as x increases, which effectively trap many anions and reduce the overall concentration of the mobile O(2-) species.

Defect structure in δ-Bi5PbY2O11.5.

A detailed study of the defect structure in a di-substituted δ-Bi2O3 type phase, δ-Bi5PbY2O11.5, is presented. Using a combination of conventional Rietveld analysis of neutron diffraction data, reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) analysis of total neutron scattering data and ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, both average and local structures have been characterized. δ-Bi5PbY2O11.5 represents a model system for the highly conducting δ-Bi2O3 type phases, in which there is a higher nominal vacancy concentration than in the unsubstituted parent compound. Uniquely, the methodology developed in this study has afforded the opportunity to study both oxide-ion vacancy ordering as well as specific cation-cation interactions. Oxide-ion vacancies in this system have been found to show a preference for association with Pb2+ cations, with some evidence for clustering of these cations. The system shows a non-random distribution of vacancy pair alignments, with a preference for 〈100〉 ordering, the extent of which shows thermal variation. MD simulations indicate a predominance of oxide-ion jumps in the 〈100〉 direction.

Crystal structure and proton conductivity of BaSn0.6Sc0.4O3-δ : insights from neutron powder diffraction and solid-state NMR spectroscopy.

The solid-state synthesis and structural characterisation of perovskite BaSn1-x Sc x O3-δ (x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4) and its corresponding hydrated ceramics are reported. Powder and neutron X-ray diffractions reveal the presence of cubic perovskites (space group Pm3m) with an increasing cell parameter as a function of scandium concentration along with some indication of phase segregation. 119Sn and 45Sc solid-state NMR spectroscopy data highlight the existence of oxygen vacancies in the dry materials, and their filling upon hydrothermal treatment with D2O. It also indicates that the Sn4+ and Sc3+ local distribution at the B-site of the perovskite is inhomogeneous and suggests that the oxygen vacancies are located in the scandium dopant coordination shell at low concentrations (x ≤ 0.2) and in the tin coordination shell at high concentrations (x ≥ 0.3). 17O NMR spectra on 17O enriched BaSn1-x Sc x O3-δ materials show the existence of Sn-O-Sn, Sn-O-Sc and Sc-O-Sc bridging oxygen environments. A further room temperature neutron powder diffraction study on deuterated BaSn0.6Sc0.4O3-δ refines the deuteron position at the 24k crystallographic site (x, y, 0) with x = 0.579(3) and y = 0.217(3) which leads to an O-D bond distance of 0.96(1) Å and suggests tilting of the proton towards the next nearest oxygen. Proton conduction was found to dominate in wet argon below 700 °C with total conductivity values in the range 1.8 × 10-4 to 1.1 × 10-3 S cm-1 between 300 and 600 °C. Electron holes govern the conduction process in dry oxidizing conditions, whilst in wet oxygen they compete with protonic defects leading to a wide mixed conduction region in the 200 to 600 °C temperature region, and a suppression of the conductivity at higher temperature.

Proton conductivity of hexagonal and cubic BaTi1-xScxO3-δ (0.1 ≤x≤ 0.8).

BaTi1-xScxO3-δ (x = 0.1-0.8) was prepared via solid state reaction. High resolution X-ray powder diffraction was used to characterise the synthesised materials. It was found that low substitution (x = 0.1 and 0.2) of Ti(4+) for Sc(3+) gives a hexagonal perovskite structure, whereas high substitution (x = 0.5-0.7) results in a cubic perovskite structure. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed significant levels of protons in both as-prepared and hydrated samples. Electrical conductivity was measured by AC impedance methods under oxygen, argon and under dry and humid, both H2O and D2O, conditions for BaTi1-xScxO3-δ (x = 0.2, 0.6 and 0.7). In the temperature range of 150-600 °C, under humid conditions, the conductivity is significantly higher than that under the dry conditions. The increase in conductivity is especially prominent for the cubic phases, indicating that protons are the dominant charge carriers. The proton conductivity of hexagonal BaTi0.8Sc0.2O3-δ is approx. two orders of magnitude lower than that of the more heavily substituted cubic phases. Conductivity is also found to be higher in dry O2 than in Ar in the whole temperature range of 150-1000 °C, characteristic of a significant contribution from p-type charge carriers under oxidising atmospheres. Greater Sc(3+) substitution leads to a higher proton concentration and the highest proton conductivity (σ∼ 2 × 10(-3) S cm(-1) at 600 °C) is found for the BaTi0.3Sc0.7O3-δ composition.

The proton conducting electrolyte BaTi0.5In0.5O2.75: determination of the deuteron site and its local environment.

Deuterated BaTi0.5In0.5O2.75 has been studied with neutron total (Bragg plus diffuse) scattering data, using both the Rietveld refinement method and the reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) modelling technique, to investigate the preferred proton site and its local structural environment. The Rietveld analysis shows an excellent fit between experimental data and a long-range cubic description of the BaTi0.5In0.5O2.53(OD)0.44 perovskite structure containing a statistical distribution of Ti and In ions at the centre of regular (Ti/In)O6 octahedra. However, an RMC analysis of the data reveals substantial local structural features that reflect limitations of the Rietveld method for studies of this type. The Ti-O and In-O pair distribution functions given by the RMC analysis are markedly different from each other, with average Ti-O and In-O bond distances of 2.035 Å and 2.159 Å, respectively. The InO6 octahedra are regular in shape whereas the TiO6 octahedra are distorted. The average O-D bond distance is roughly 0.96 Å, and the preferred deuteron sites have a second nearest oxygen distance of 2.13 Å, which confirms localized tilting of the deuteron and indicates a substantial degree of hydrogen bonding. The impact of octahedral distortion and hydrogen bonding on the proton conduction mechanism is discussed.

A neutron total scattering study of local coordination in KTiOPO4 from room temperature to 900 °C.

Neutron total (Bragg plus diffuse) scattering data have been analysed by means of bond valence constrained reverse Monte Carlo modelling, using RMCProfile software, in order to simultaneously probe the natures of the short- and long-range structural correlations in potassium titanyl phosphate, KTiOPO(4) (KTP). The diffraction data were collected at room temperature, 300, 500, 700 and 900 °C, and the resulting partial radial distribution functions, g(jk)(r), were thoroughly investigated in order to obtain information about the structural aspects that cause reduced second harmonic generation (SHG) with increasing temperature in KTP. The -TiO(6)-PO(4)- lattice shows very little rigid unit motion up to 900 °C and the PO(4) tetrahedra were likewise unchanged. However, subtle changes regarding oxygen disordering around the TiO(6) octahedra, i.e. the number of short titanyl bonds, and K(+) cation displacement along the c axis are carefully mapped out. The latter has a direct detrimental effect on the SHG response, whilst the anisotropic Ti-O bond distribution seems to be a prerequisite for the SHG effect.

A dipole polarizable potential for reduced and doped CeO(2) obtained from first principles.

In this paper we present the parameterization of a new interionic potential for stoichiometric, reduced and doped CeO(2). We use a dipole polarizable potential (DIPPIM: the dipole polarizable ion model) and optimize its parameters by fitting them to a series of density functional theory calculations. The resulting potential was tested by calculating a series of fundamental properties for CeO(2) and by comparing them against experimental values. The values for all the calculated properties (thermal and chemical expansion coefficients, lattice parameters, oxygen migration energies, local crystalline structure and elastic constants) are within 10-15% of the experimental ones, an accuracy comparable to that of ab initio calculations. This result suggests the use of this new potential for reliably predicting atomic scale properties of CeO(2) in problems where ab initio calculations are not feasible due to their size limitations.

Local structural properties of 0.5BiMnO3-0.5ATiO3 (A = Ba or Sr).

Neutron total scattering data have been used to probe the long- and short-range structure of 0.5BiMnO(3)-0.5ATiO(3) (A = Ba or Sr). Modelling of the total scattering data, using the reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) method, reveals local disorder that differs substantially from the average structure. Significantly, the Bi(3+) cations prefer to adopt an asymmetric coordination due to the influence of the lone-pair electrons.

Oxide-ion disorder within the high temperature delta phase of Bi2O3.

The delta phase of Bi(2)O(3), which adopts an anion-deficient fluorite structure, has the highest known oxide-ion conductivity. Using a combination of neutron powder diffraction and Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics, the preferred local anion environment around the Bi(3+) within delta-Bi(2)O(3) is shown to be highly irregular, resembling the asymmetric "lone-pair" coordination found within many (fully ordered) oxides of Bi(3+) under ambient conditions. The asymmetric electron density around the Bi(3+) plays a central role in promoting the extreme anion disorder within delta-Bi(2)O(3), with the ion diffusion facilitated by extensive relaxations of both the surrounding anions and a "soft" cation sublattice. The validity of previously proposed structural models based on a cubic environment in which O(2-) vacancies are aligned in pairs in 100, 110, and 111 directions is discussed in light of these conclusions.

Cation composition effects on oxide conductivity in the Zr(2)Y(2)O(7)-Y(3)NbO(7) system.

Polarizable interaction potentials, parametrized using ab initio electronic structure calculations, have been used in molecular dynamics simulations to study the effect of cation composition on the ionic conductivity in the Zr(2)Y(2)O(7)-Y(3)NbO(7) system and to link the dynamical properties to the degree of lattice disorder. Across the composition range, this system retains a disordered fluorite crystal structure and the vacancy concentration is constant. The observed trends of decreasing conductivity and increasing disorder with increasing Nb(5+) content were reproduced in simulations with the cations randomly assigned to positions on the cation sublattice. The trends were traced to the influences of the cation charges and relative sizes and their effect on vacancy ordering by carrying out additional calculations in which, for example, the charges of the cations were equalized. The simulations did not, however, reproduce all of the observed properties, particularly for Y(3)NbO(7). Its conductivity was significantly overestimated and prominent diffuse scattering features observed in small area electron diffraction studies were not always reproduced. Consideration of these deficiencies led to a preliminary attempt to characterize the consequence of partially ordering the cations on their lattice, which significantly affects the propensity for vacancy ordering. The extent and consequences of cation ordering seem to be much less pronounced on the Zr(2)Y(2)O(7) side of the composition range.

Neutron total scattering study of the delta and beta phases of Bi2O3.

The highly disordered structure of the delta phase of Bi2O3, which possesses the highest known oxide-ion conductivity, has been studied using neutron powder diffraction. A detailed analysis of data collected at 1033(3) K using Rietveld refinement indicates that the time-averaged structure of delta-Bi2O3 can be described using the accepted model of a disordered, anion-deficient fluorite structure in space group Fm3m. However, reverse Monte Carlo modelling of the total (Bragg plus diffuse) scattering demonstrates that the local anion environment around the Bi3+ resembles the distorted square pyramidal arrangement found within the stable alpha and metastable beta phases at ambient temperature, which is characteristic of the cation's 6s2 lone-pair configuration. Similarities between the structures of the highly disordered delta phase and the ambient temperature metastable beta phase are used to support this assignment and assess the validity of previous structural models based on short-range ordering of vacancies within the cubic lattice of delta-Bi2O3.

K-site splitting in KTiOPO4 at room temperature.

The room-temperature structure of potassium titanyl phosphate (KTiOPO4, KTP) with Pna2(1) symmetry has been studied by means of synchrotron radiation. Each of the two crystallographically unique K1 and K2 cations is split over two sites that are shifted along the c direction by 0.287 (13) and 0.255 (13) A for the K1a/b and K2a/b pairs, respectively. The refined populations of the minor K1b and K2b sites are 0.102 (12) and 0.132 (17), respectively. It is shown that accurate high-resolution synchrotron data (Rmerged = 0.015 for 25 010 reflections, 9456 unique, sintheta/lambda limit > 1.0) are required for the determination of a reliable structure model.

Al6Ti2O13, a new phase in the Al2O3-TiO2 system.

The compound Al6Ti2O13 (hexaaluminium dititanium tridecaoxide) has been synthesized using an arc-imaging furnace, which allows fast cooling of melted oxides. The structure consists of infinite double chains of polyhedra running along the c axis. These chains are built up by four kinds of strongly distorted oxygen octahedra randomly occupied by either Ti or Al (point symmetry m or m2m), and by trigonal bipyramids exclusively occupied by Al (point symmetry m2m).

Two new phosphate langbeinites, Rb2YbTi(PO4)3 and Rb2Yb0.32Ti1.68(PO4)3, investigated at 293 and 150 K.

The rubidium ytterbium titanium phosphates Rb2YbTi(PO4)3, (I), and Rb2Yb(0.32)Ti(1.68)(PO4)3, (II), have been structurally characterized from X-ray data collected at both 293 and 150 K. Compound (II) is blue owing to the presence of mixed-valence titanium (41% Ti3+ + 59% Ti4+). Both (I) and (II) belong to the langbeinite structure type, with mixed Yb/Ti populations in the two crystallographically independent octahedral sites (of symmetry 3). Ytterbium favours one of these sites, where about two-thirds of the Yb atoms are found. The O-atom displacement parameters are large in both compounds at both temperatures.