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We report the observation of noncentrosymmetricity in the family of HRTiO4 (R = Eu, Gd, Dy) layered oxides possessing a Ruddlesden–Popper derivative structure, by second harmonic generation and synchrotron X-ray diffraction with the support of density functional theory calculations. These oxides were previously thought to possess inversion symmetry. Here, inversion symmetry is lifted by rotations of the oxygen-coordinated octahedra, a mechanism that is not active in simple perovskites. We observe a competition between rotations of the oxygen octahedra and sliding of a combined unit of perovskite–rocksalt–perovskite blocks at the proton layers. For the smaller rare earth ions, R = Eu, Gd, and Dy, which favor the octahedral rotations, noncentrosymmetricity is present but the sliding is absent. For the larger rare earth ions, R = Nd and Sm, the octahedral rotations are absent, but the sliding at the proton layers is present to optimize the length and direction of hydrogen bonding in the crystal structure. Th...

We have studied electronic properties of perovskite oxyhydrides ATiO3–xHx (A = Ba, Sr). Epitaxial thin films of ATiO3–xHx with various hydride compositions, up to x = 0.58 for Ba and x = 0.45 for Sr, are prepared by the low-temperature CaH2 reduction of the corresponding oxide films deposited on (LaAlO3)0.3(SrAl0.5Ta0.5O3)0.7 (LSAT) substrates by pulsed laser deposition. Resistivity measurements for A = Sr show a metallic phase over a wide range of H– composition, implying a substantial stabilization of H 1s orbitals that should be distributed over O 2p orbitals. On the other hand, for A = Ba, a semiconducting behavior is seen up to ∼5–8% of H– substitution. Interestingly, a similar contrasting behavior is observed in a Nb-substituted BaTiO3 and SrTiO3, which suggests that a local cation–off centering in lightly doped Ba films creates in-gap states in the band structure (as opposed to the Sr films), hindering the electron transport.

We have successfully prepared multiscale porous crystalline zirconia (ZrO2) monoliths by combining the alkoxy-derived sol–gel process accompanied by phase-separation and the solvothermal process. The gelation can be controlled by the addition of N-methylformamide to the starting solution, while the phase separation is induced by the incorporation of poly(ethylene oxide). Amorphous ZrO2 monolithic gels with well-defined bicontinuous macropores and microstructured skeletons are obtained when the transient structure of polymerization-induced phase separation is fixed by the gelation. The size of the macropores is controlled in the range of 300 nm to 2 µm by adjusting the amount of poly(ethylene oxide). The solvent exchange of the mother liquor in the as-gelled wet specimens with absolute ethanol, followed by the solvothermal treatment at temperatures above 210 °C, brings about the formation of mesopores and stabilizes tetragonal ZrO2 nanocrystals without disturbing the macroporous morphology. The resultant m...

Alumina (Al2O3) monoliths with well-defined macropores and mesostructured skeletons have been synthesized via a spontaneous route from the aqueous and ethanolic solution of aluminum salts in the presence of propylene oxide and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). The addition of propylene oxide to the starting solution controls the gelation, whereas the addition of PEO induces the phase separation. Appropriate choice of the starting composition, by which the phase separation and gelation concur, allows the production of bicontinuous macroporous Al2O3 monoliths in large dimensions (10 × 10 × 10 mm3). The size of macropores is controlled in the range of 400 nm to 1.8 μm, depending on the PEO content in starting solutions. The dried gel is amorphous, whereas heating at temperatures above 800 °C leads to the formation of crystalline phases without spoiling the macroporous morphology; nanocrystalline γ-Al2O3 is precipitated at 800 °C, α-Al2O3 starts to form at 1000 °C, and complete transformation into α-Αl2O3 is achiev...

This article describes the fabrication of multiscale porous nanocrystalline TiO2 monoliths through a one-step method that combines a sol−gel process and phase separation in template-free conditions. A large-dimension monolith with well-defined macropores and a mesostructured anatase-type TiO2 gel skeleton is spontaneously obtained by controlling the solution pH during the hydrolysis and polycondensation reactions of titanium alkoxides. The size of the macropores is adjusted by the starting composition, and a crystallized anatase TiO2 skeleton is formed without heat treatment. The use of titanium alkoxide strengthens the gel network by the formation of chemical bonding in the condensation reaction, which yields porous monoliths with higher mechanical strength than for the case of porous monoliths derived from colloidal TiO2 using freeze drying to maintain the porous morphology. The average crystallite size of anatase TiO2 nanocrystals was found to be about 3.6 nm for the dried gel and about 5.0 nm for the ...

Monolithic macro-mesoporous titania has been prepared by the colloid-based sol−gel method accompanied by the phase separation. Both the titania gel skeleton and the macropores are interconnected in...