Search

Novel quantum materials offer the opportunity to expand next-generation computers, high-precision sensors, and new energy technologies. Among the most important factors influencing the development of quantum materials research is the ability of inorganic and materials chemists to grow high-quality single crystals. Here, the synthesis, structure characterization and magnetic properties of Na2Cu3(SeO3)4 are reported. It exhibits a novel two-dimensional (2D) structure with isolated layers of Cu nets. Single crystals of Na2Cu3(SeO3)4 were grown using a low-temperature hydrothermal method. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals that Na2Cu3(SeO3)4 crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system and has space group symmetry of P21/n (No.14) with a unit cell of a = 8.1704(4) Å, b = 5.1659(2) Å, c = 14.7406(6) Å, β = 100.86(2), V = 611.01(5) Å3 and Z = 2. Na2Cu3(SeO3)4 comprises a 2D Cu-O-Cu lattice containing two unique copper sites, a CuO6 octahedra and a CuO5 square pyramid. The SeO3 groups bridge the 2D Cu-O-Cu layers isolating the neighboring Cu-O-Cu layers, thereby enhancing their 2D nature. Magnetic properties were determined by measuring the magnetic susceptibility of an array of randomly oriented single crystals of Na2Cu3(SeO3)4. The temperature-dependent magnetic measurement shows an antiferromagnetic transition at TN = 4 K. These results suggest the fruitfulness of hydrothermal synthesis in achieving novel quantum materials and encourage future work on the chemistry of transition metal selenite.

New compositions of synthetic vesuvianite were investigated using hydrothermal synthesis. High quality single crystals with the formula Ca19Al13Si18O71(OH)7 (I) having the vesuvianite-type structure were crystallized during a high temperature hydrothermal growth reaction. Starting materials of Al2O3 and CaSiO3 reacted at 670 °C and 2 kbar in 0.5 M aqueous alkali hydroxide mineralizer to form single crystals up to 0.25 mm per edge. Similar reactions employing SrO, Fe2O3, and GeO2 reacting at 580 °C and 2 kbar in 6 M aqueous alkali hydroxide mineralizers led to the formation of the analogous Sr19Fe12Ge19O72(OH)6 (II). These crystals were obtained in sizes up to 0.5 mm per edge. The structures of both compounds were refined in space group P4/nnc after careful evaluation of the diffraction data and subsequent test refinements. Elemental analysis indicated only the presence of Ca2+, Al3+, and Si4+ cations in I and only the presence of Sr2+, Fe3+, and Ge4+ cations in II, representing synthetic vesuvianite comprising the minimum number of unique cations. The use of larger cations than are typically found in natural vesuvianite, such as Sr2+, Fe3+, and Ge4+, resulted in an expanded crystalline lattice and extended the vesuvianite analogs to include an increasing variety of elements.

Single crystals of a new transition metal adelite-descloizite-type structure were synthesized using a high temperature (580 °C) high-pressure hydrothermal technique. Single crystal X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) were used to investigate the structure and elemental composition, respectively. SrNi(VO4)(OH) crystallizes in an acentric orthorhombic crystal system in the space group P212121 (no. 19); Z = 4, a = 5.9952(4) Å, b = 7.5844(4) Å, c = 9.2240(5) Å. The structure is comprised of a Ni–O–V framework where Sr2+ ions reside inside the channels. Single-crystal magnetic measurements display a significant anisotropy in both temperature- and field-dependent data. The temperature dependent magnetic measurement shows antiferromagnetic behavior at TN~8 K. Overall, the magnetic properties indicate the presence of competing antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic interactions of SrNi(VO4)(OH).

Results of magnetization and neutron diffraction measurements of the manganese vanadate system Mn5(VO4)2(OH)4 are reported. The crystal structure of this compound contains triangular [Mn3O13] building blocks that produce two-dimensional Mn2+ magnetic networks with striped triangular topologies. The Mn sheets are connected through the nonmagnetic vanadate tetrahedra extending along the a-axis. Magnetization measurements performed on single crystals reveal the onset of a long-range antiferromagnetic order below approximately 45 K. The magnetic structure is Néel-type with nearest-neighbor Mn atoms coupled via three or four antiferromagnetic bonds. The magnetic moments are confined within the layers and are oriented parallel to the b direction. The magnitudes of ordered moments are reduced, presumably by geometrical frustration and the low-dimensionality of the lattice structure.

The temperature–magnetic field phase diagram of the mixed honeycomb-triangular lattice system K_{2}Mn_{3}(VO_{4})_{2}CO_{3} is investigated by means of magnetization, heat-capacity, and neutron-scattering measurements. The results indicate that triangular and honeycomb magnetic layers undergo sequential magnetic orderings and act as nearly independent magnetic sublattices. The honeycomb sublattice orders at about 85 K in a Neél-type antiferromagnetic structure, while the triangular sublattice displays two consecutive ordered states at much lower temperatures, 3 and 2.2 K. The ground state of the triangular sublattice consists of a planar “Y” magnetic structure that emerges from an intermediate collinear “up-up-down” state. Applied magnetic fields parallel or perpendicular to the c axis induce exotic ordered phases characterized by various spin-stacking sequences of triangular layers that yield bilayer, three-layer, or four-layer magnetic superstructures. The observed superstructures cannot be explained in the framework of quasiclassical theory based only on nearest-neighbor interlayer coupling and point towards the presence of effective second-nearest-neighbor interactions mediated by fluctuations of the magnetic moments in the honeycomb sublattice.

Single-crystals of CsCeF5 were synthesized hydrothermally. The crystal under investigation was twinned by pseudo-merohedry with a twofold rotation around the c axis as an additional twinning operation. The crystal structure is built of layers of distorted edge- and corner-sharing CeF8 square-antiprisms. The Cs+ cations are located between the layers and exhibit coordination numbers of nine. Upon compression, CsCeF5 undergoes an irreversible phase transition at about 1 GPa.