Discovery of chalcogenides structures and compositions using mixed fluxes.

Advancements in many modern technologies rely on the continuous need for materials discovery. However, the design of synthesis routes leading to new and targeted solid-state materials requires understanding of reactivity patterns1-3. Advances in synthesis science are necessary to increase efficiency and accelerate materials discovery4-10. We present a highly effective methodology for the rational discovery of materials using high-temperature solutions or fluxes having tunable solubility. This methodology facilitates product selection by projecting the free-energy landscape into real synthetic variables: temperature and flux ratio. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique by synthesizing compounds in the chalcogenide system of A(Ba)-Cu-Q(O) (Q = S or Se; A = Na, K or Rb) using mixed AOH/AX (A = Li, Na, K or Rb; X = Cl or I) fluxes. We present 30 unreported compounds or compositions, including more than ten unique structural types, by systematically varying the temperature and flux ratios without requiring changing the proportions of starting materials. Also, we found that the structural dimensionality of the compounds decreases with increasing reactant solubility and temperature. This methodology serves as an effective general strategy for the rational discovery of inorganic solids.

Metastable precipitation and ion-extractant transport in liquid-liquid separations of trivalent elements.

The extractant-assisted transport of metal ions from aqueous to organic environments by liquid-liquid extraction has been widely used to separate and recover critical elements on an industrial scale. While current efforts focus on designing better extractants and optimizing process conditions, the mechanism that underlies ionic transport remains poorly understood. Here, we report a nonequilibrium process in the bulk aqueous phase that influences interfacial ion transport: the formation of metastable ion-extractant precipitates away from the liquid-liquid interface, separated from it by a depletion region without precipitates. Although the precipitate is soluble in the organic phase, the depletion region separates the two and ions are sequestered in a long-lived metastable state. Since precipitation removes extractants from the aqueous phase, even extractants that are sparingly soluble in water will continue to be withdrawn from the organic phase to feed the aqueous precipitation process. Solute concentrations in both phases and the aqueous pH influence the temporal evolution of the process and ionic partitioning between the precipitate and organic phase. Aqueous ion-extractant precipitation during liquid-liquid extraction provides a reaction path that can influence the extraction kinetics, which plays an important role in designing advanced processes to separate rare earths and other minerals.

Site-Differentiated MnIIFeII Complex Reproducing the Selective Assembly of Biological Heterobimetallic Mn/Fe Cofactors.

Class Ic ribonucleotide reductases (RNRIc) and R2-like ligand-binding oxidases (R2lox) are known to contain heterobimetallic MnIIFeII cofactors. How these enzymes assemble MnIIFeII cofactors has been a long-standing puzzle due to the weaker binding affinity of MnII versus FeII. In addition, the heterobimetallic selectivity of RNRIc and R2lox has yet to be reproduced with coordination complexes, leading to the hypothesis that RNRIc and R2lox overcome the thermodynamic preference for coordination of FeII over MnII with their carefully constructed three-dimensional protein structures. Herein, we report the selective formation of a heterobimetallic MnIIFeII complex accomplished in the absence of a protein scaffold. Treatment of the ligand Py4DMcT (L) with equimolar amounts of FeII and MnII along with two equivalents of acetate (OAc) affords [LMnIIFeII (OAc)2(OTf)]+ (MnIIFeII) in 80% yield, while the diiron complex [LFeIIFeII(OAc)2(OTf)]+ (FeIIFeII) is produced in only 8% yield. The formation of MnIIFeII is favored regardless of the order of addition of FeII and MnII sources. X-ray diffraction (XRD) of single crystals of MnIIFeII reveals an unsymmetrically coordinated carboxylate ligand─a primary coordination sphere feature shared by both RNRIc and R2lox that differentiates the two metal binding sites. Anomalous XRD studies confirm that MnIIFeII exhibits the same site selectivity as R2lox and RNRIc, with the FeII (d6) center preferentially occupying the distorted octahedral site. We conclude that the successful assembly of MnIIFeII originates from (1) Fe-deficient conditions, (2) site differentiation, and (3) the inability of ligand L to house a dimanganese complex.

Organo-Functionalized Lacunary Double Cubane-Type Oxometallates: Synthesis, Structure, and Properties of [(MII Cl)2 (VIV O)2 {((HOCH2 CH2 )(H)N(CH2 CH2 O))(HN(CH2 CH2 O)2 )}2 ] (M=Co, Zn).

Organofunctionalized tetranuclear clusters [(MII Cl)2 (VIV O)2 {((HOCH2 CH2 )(H)N(CH2 CH2 O))(HN(CH2 CH2 O)2 )}2 ] (1, M=Co, 2: M=Zn) containing an unprecedented oxometallacyclic {M2 V2 Cl2 N4 O8 } (M=Co, Zn) framework have been prepared by solvothermal reactions. The new oxo-alkoxide compounds were fully characterized by spectroscopic methods, magnetic susceptibility measurement, DFT and ab initio computational methods, and complete single-crystal X-ray diffraction structure analysis. The isostructural clusters are formed of edge-sharing octahedral {VO5 N} and trigonal bipyramidal {MO3 NCl} units. Diethanolamine ligates the bimetallic lacunary double cubane core of 1 and 2 in an unusual two-mode fashion, unobserved previously. In the crystalline state, the clusters of 1 and 2 are joined by hydrogen bonds to form a three-dimensional network structure. Magnetic susceptibility data indicate weakly antiferromagnetic interactions between the vanadium centers [Jiso (VIV -VIV )=-5.4(1); -3.9(2) cm-1 ], and inequivalent antiferromagnetic interactions between the cobalt and vanadium centers [Jiso (VIV -CoII )=-12.6 and -7.5 cm-1 ] contained in 1.

Metal Site-Specific Electrostatic Field Effects on a Tricopper(I) Cluster Probed by Resonant Diffraction Anomalous Fine Structure (DAFS).

Studies of multinuclear metal complexes are greatly enhanced by resonant diffraction measurements, which probe X-ray absorption profiles of crystallographically independent metal sites within a cluster. In particular, X-ray diffraction anomalous fine structure (DAFS) analysis provides data that can be interpreted akin to site-specific XANES, allowing for differences in metal K-edge resonances to be deconvoluted even for different metal sites within a homometallic system. Despite the prevalence of Cu-containing clusters in biology and energy science, DAFS has yet to be used to analyze multicopper complexes of any type until now. Here, we report an evaluation of trends using a series of strategically chosen Cu(I) and Cu(II) complexes to determine how energy dependencies of anomalous scattering factors are impacted by coordination geometry, ligand shell, cluster nuclearity, and oxidation state. This calibration data is used to analyze a formally tricopper(I) complex that was found by DAFS to be site-differentiated due to the unsymmetrical influence on different Cu sites of the electrostatic field from a proximal K+ cation.

Uncovering a CF3 Effect on X-ray Absorption Energies of [Cu(CF3 )4 ]- and Related Copper Compounds by Using Resonant Diffraction Anomalous Fine Structure (DAFS) Measurements.

Understanding the electronic structures of high-valent metal complexes aids the advancement of metal-catalyzed cross coupling methodologies. A prototypical complex with formally high valency is [Cu(CF3 )4 ]- (1), which has a formal Cu(III) oxidation state but whose physical analysis has led some to a Cu(I) assignment in an inverted ligand field model. Recent examinations of 1 by X-ray spectroscopies have led previous authors to contradictory conclusions, motivating the re-examination of its X-ray absorption profile here by a complementary method, resonant diffraction anomalous fine structure (DAFS). From analysis of DAFS measurements for a series of seven mononuclear Cu complexes including 1, here it is shown that there is a systematic trifluoromethyl effect on X-ray absorption that blue shifts the resonant Cu K-edge energy by 2-3 eV per CF3 , completely accounting for observed changes in DAFS profiles between formally Cu(III) complexes like 1 and formally Cu(I) complexes like (Ph3 P)3 CuCF3 (3). Thus, in agreement with the inverted ligand field model, the data presented herein imply that 1 is best described as containing a Cu(I) ion with dn count approaching 10.

Lewis Acid Supported Nickel Nitrenoids.

Metalation of the polynucleating ligand F,tbs LH6 (1,3,5-C6 H9 (NC6 H3 -4-F-2-NSiMe2 t Bu)3 ) with two equivalents of Zn(N(SiMe3 )2 )2 affords the dinuclear product (F,tbs LH2 )Zn2 (1), which can be further deprotonated to yield (F,tbs L)Zn2 Li2 (OEt2 )4 (2). Transmetalation of 2 with NiCl2 (py)2 yields the heterometallic, trinuclear cluster (F,tbs L)Zn2 Ni(py) (3). Reduction of 3 with KC8 affords [KC222 ][(F,tbs L)Zn2 Ni] (4) which features a monovalent Ni centre. Addition of 1-adamantyl azide to 4 generates the bridging µ3 -nitrenoid adduct [K(THF)3 ][(F,tbs L)Zn2 Ni(µ3 -NAd)] (5). EPR spectroscopy reveals that the anionic cluster possesses a doublet ground state (S = 1 / 2 ${{ 1/2 }}$ ). Cyclic voltammetry of 5 reveals two fully reversible redox events. The dianionic nitrenoid [K2 (THF)9 ][(F,tbs L)Zn2 Ni(µ3 -NAd)] (6) was isolated and characterized while the neutral redox isomer was observed to undergo both intra- and intermolecular H-atom abstraction processes. Ni K-edge XAS studies suggest a divalent oxidation state for the Ni centres in both the monoanionic and dianionic [Zn2 Ni] nitrenoid complexes. However, DFT analysis suggests Ni-borne oxidation for 5.

Switchable Aromaticity in an Isostructural Mn Phthalocyanine Series Isolated in Five Separate Redox States.

The synthesis and characterization of a new phthalocyanine (Pc) Mn-nitride complex, (OEtPc)MnN (2; OEtPc = 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octaethoxy-Pc), as well as its stable, readily accessible oxidized (2+ and 22+) and reduced (2-, 22-) congeners is reported. This unique isostructural series displays switchable aromatic character spanning the aromatic (2), nonaromatic (22+), and antiaromatic (22-) triad, in addition to the open-shell radical states (2+, 2-). All complexes were structurally characterized and displayed significant structural distortions at the redox extrema (22+, 22-) consistent with proposed [16 or 18]annulene π ring circuit models. Spectroscopic and computational studies further support these models. This isolated, fully characterized, isostructural series spanning five redox states (22+, 2+, 2, 2-, 22-) is unique in both the Pc and related macrocyclic (ex. porphyrinoids) literature and may offer direct insight into structural-electronic correlations driven by switchable aromaticity.

Spectroscopic Studies of the Magnetic Excitation and Spin-Phonon Couplings in a Single-Molecule Magnet.

Large separations between ground and excited magnetic states in single-molecule magnets (SMMs) are desirable to reduce the likelihood of spin reversal in the molecules. Spin-phonon coupling is a process leading to magnetic relaxation. Both the reversal and coupling, making SMMs lose magnetic moments, are undesirable. However, direct determination of large magnetic states separations (>45 cm-1 ) is challenging, and few detailed investigations of the spin-phonon coupling have been conducted. The magnetic separation in [Co(12-crown-4)2 ](I3 )2 (12-crown-4) (1) is determined and its spin-phonon coupling is probed by inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and far-IR spectroscopy. INS, using oriented single crystals, shows a magnetic transition at 49.4(1.0) cm-1 . Far-IR reveals that the magnetic transition and nearby phonons are coupled, a rarely observed phenomenon, with spin-phonon coupling constants of 1.7-2.5 cm-1 . The current work spectroscopically determines the ground-excited magnetic states separation in an SMM and quantifies its spin-phonon coupling, shedding light on the process causing magnetic relaxation.

Synthesis, Structure, and Electrical Properties of the Single Crystal Ba8Cu16As30.

Single crystals of clathrate-I Ba8Cu16As30 have been synthesized and their structure and electronic properties determined using synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction and first-principles calculations. The structure is confirmed to be Pm3̅ n (No. 223), with lattice parameter a = 10.4563(3) Å, and defined by a tetrahedrally bonded network of As and Cu that forms two distinct coordination polyhedra, with Ba residing inside these polyhedra. All crystallographic positions are fully occupied with no vacancies or superstructure with the Cu atoms, while occupying all framework sites in the network, exhibiting a preference for the 6c site. Agreement between the experimental and theoretically predicted structures was achieved after accounting for spin-orbit coupling. Our calculated Fermi surface, electron localization, and charge transfer, as well as a comparison with the results for elemental As46, provide insight into the fundamental properties of this clathrate-I material.

Zero-thermal-hysteresis magnetocaloric effect induced by magnetic transition at a morphotropic phase boundary in Heusler Ni50Mn36Sb14-xInx alloys.

With the development of magnetic refrigerant technology, magnetic substances with a large magnetocaloric effect (MCE) and nearly zero thermal hysteresis are desired. Although Ni-Mn based Heusler alloys have been found to produce large MCEs and have attracted increasing attention recently, the occurrence of thermal hysteresis accompanying MCE due to the nature of first-order phase transition limits its applications with magnetic refrigeration. Up to now, an effective theory or method to eliminate this thermal hysteresis is still lacking. Here, we propose to utilize the feature of magnetic transition at the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) to eliminate thermal hysteresis and thus design a MPB-involved phase diagram in Heusler alloys of Ni50Mn36Sb14-xInx (x = 0-14). As theoretically expected, the magnetic transition at MPB really yields a MCE with a negligible thermal hysteresis (∼0 K) and the refrigerant capacity arrives at a maximum value of 108.2 J kg-1 at the composition of x = 9. Our findings provide an effective way to design large MCE materials with zero thermal hysteresis.

Polymorphism in A3MF6 (A = Rb, Cs; M = Al, Ga) grown using mixed halide fluxes.

Single crystals of A3MF6 (A = Rb, Cs; M = Al, Ga) were grown from mixed alkali chloride/fluoride fluxes in sealed silver tubes. For Cs3AlF6 and Cs3GaF6, two polymorphs were observed at room temperature: m-Cs3MF6 and o-Cs3MF6. For the two Rb containing compositions, only one room temperature polymorph was observed: o-Rb3AlF6 and t-Rb3GaF6, respectively. Simultaneous TGA/DSC and high temperature SCXRD/PXRD were used to study the high temperature behavior of A3MF6. The compounds of all four compositions were found to undergo structure transitions upon heating to the same cubic structure type, c-A3MF6.

Cobalt vacancies assisted ion diffusion in Co2AlO4 carbon nanofibers for enhancing lithium battery performance.

The rational design of one-dimensional nanofibers, concentrating on the compositions, morphology, structure and defects, has emerging importance in the preparation of anode materials with desired performance for lithium-ion batteries. In the present work, we prepared cobalt vacancies enriched Co2AlO4/carbon nanofibers coated with Co2AlO4 nanosheets by using electrospinning and multi-step sintering processes. As the anode of the lithium-ion battery, the as-prepared nanofibers show excellent cycling stability, and particularly the discharge capacity can remain at 627.4 mA h g-1 after 500 cycles under 500 mA g-1. We contributed the improved performances to the carbon-based networks, the presence of cobalt vacancy on Co2AlO4 and the larger specific surface area of the present species. Moreover, density functional theory (DFT) calculations have implied that introducing Co vacancies could reduce the energy barrier of ion diffusion, leading to a faster diffusion rate of lithium ions during cycling. Apparently, the present approach could afford many essential advantages for anode material preparation, such as carbon-based matrix, larger specific surface area and cation vacancy, and more importantly, it can be extended to other spinel mixed transition metal oxides.

Crystal structures and phase relationships in magnetostrictive Tb1-x Dy x Co2 system.

The crystal structures and phase relationships of Tb1-x Dy x Co2 alloys with 0 ⩽ x ⩽ 1 were investigated by synchrotron-based high-resolution x-ray powder diffraction. Three different crystal structures are observed in the system: all the compositions show cubic structure with space group [Formula: see text] at temperatures above the Curie temperature T C; the Tb-rich side sample shows a rhombohedral structure with space group [Formula: see text] and the Dy-rich side sample has a tetragonal [Formula: see text] space group. In situ measurements on the intermediate compound Tb0.3Dy0.7Co2 show a rhombohedral to tetragonal structural transition, and the two phases coexist from 99 K to 111 K, where the so-called magnetic morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) is found. The coexisting phases are believed to induce the anomalous magnetostrictive effect in the MPB regime.

The Phase Diagram and Exotic Magnetostrictive Behaviors in Spinel Oxide Co(Fe1-xAlx)2O4 System.

We report the magnetic and magnetostrictive behaviors of the pseudobinary ferrimagnetic spinel oxide system (1-x)CoFe2O4-xCoAl2O4 [Co(Fe1-xAlx)2O4], with one end-member being the ferrimagnetic CoFe2O4 and the other end-member being CoAl2O4 that is paramagnetic above 9.8 K. The temperature spectra of magnetization and magnetic susceptibility were employed to detect the magnetic transition temperatures and to determine the phase diagram of this system. Composition dependent and temperature dependent magnetostrictive behaviors reveal an exotic phase boundary that separates two ferrimagnetic states: At room temperature and under small magnetic fields (∼500 Oe), Fe-rich compositions exhibit negative magnetostriction while the Al-rich compositions exhibit positive magnetostriction though the values are small (<10 ppm). Moreover, the compositions around this phase boundary at room temperature (x = 0.35, 0.4, 0.45, 0.5) exhibit near-zero magnetostriction and enhanced magnetic susceptibility, which may be promising in the applications for magnetic cores, current sensors, or magnetic shielding materials.

Thermal Expansion and Magnetostriction of Laves-Phase Alloys: Fingerprints of Ferrimagnetic Phase Transitions.

The magneto-elastic coupling effect correlates to the changes of moment and lattice upon magnetic phase transition. Here, we report that, in the pseudo-binary Laves-phase Tb1-xDyxCo2 system (x = 0.0, 0.7, and 1.0), thermal expansion and magnetostriction can probe the ferrimagnetic transitions from cubic to rhombohedral phase (in TbCo2), from cubic to tetragonal phase (in DyCo2), and from cubic to rhombohedral then to tetragonal phase (in Tb0.3Dy0.7Co2). Furthermore, a Landau polynomial approach is employed to qualitatively investigate the thermal expansion upon the paramagnetic (cubic) to ferrimagnetic (rhombohedral or tetragonal) transition, and the calculated thermal expansion curves agree with the experimental curves. Our work illustrates the correlation between crystal symmetry, magnetostriction, and thermal expansion in ferrimagnetic Laves-phase alloys and provides a new perspective to investigate ferrimagnetic transitions.

Large magnetocaloric effect and near-zero thermal hysteresis in the rare earth intermetallic Tb1-x Dy x Co2 compounds.

We report the magnetocaloric effect in a Tb1-x Dy x Co2 compound which exhibits a wide working temperature window around the Curie temperature (T C) and delivers a large refrigerant capacity (RC) with near-zero thermal hysteresis. Specifically, the wide full width at half maxima ([Formula: see text]) can reach up to 62 K and the RC value changes from 216.5 to 274.3 J Kg-1 when the external magnetic field increases to 5 T. Such magnetocaloric effects are attributed to a magnetic and structural transition from a paramagnetic and cubic phase to a ferromagnetic (M S along [1 1 1] direction) and rhombohedral phase or ferromagnetic (M S along [0 0 1] direction) and tetragonal phase.

Giant spontaneous exchange bias triggered by crossover of superspin glass in Sb-doped Ni50Mn38Ga12 Heusler alloys.

A spontaneous exchange bias (SEB) discovered by Wang et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 106 (2011) 077203.] after zero-field cooling (ZFC) has attracted recent attention due to its interesting physics. In this letter, we report a giant SEB tuned by Sb-doping in Ni50Mn38Ga12-xSbx Heusler alloys. Such an SEB was switched on below the blocking temperature of approximately 50 K. The maximum exchange bias HE can arrive at 2930 Oe in a Ni50Mn38Ga10Sb2 sample after ZFC to 2 K. Further studies showed that this SEB was attributable to interaction of superspin glass (SSG) and antiferromagnetic matix, which was triggered by the crossover of SSG from canonical spin glass to a cluster spin glass. Our results not only explain the underlying physics of SEB, but also provide a way to tune and control the SEB performance.