High-throughput powder diffraction measurement system consisting of multiple MYTHEN detectors at beamline BL02B2 of SPring-8

Sulfide-Induced Dimerization Versus Demetallation of Tricopper(I) Clusters Protected by Tris-Thiolato Metalloligands

Here, we report the reactivity of copper(I) clusters toward sulfide ions; these sulfide copper(I) clusters have attracted much attention due to their relevance to biologically active centers and their fascinating structural and photophysical properties. Treatment of the CuI 3RhIII 2 pentanuclear complex, [Cu3{Rh(aet)3}2]3+ (aet=2-aminoethanethiolate), in which a {CuI 3}3+ cluster moiety is bound by two fac-[Rh(aet)3] metalloligands, with NaSH in water produced the CuI 6RhIII 4 decanuclear complex, [Cu6S{Rh(aet)3}4]4+, accompanied by the dimerization of [Cu3{Rh(aet)3}2]3+ and the incorporation of a sulfide ion at the center. While similar treatment using the analogous CuI 3IrIII 2 complex with fac-[Ir(aet)3] metalloligands, [Cu3{Ir(aet)3}2]3+, produced the isostructural CuI 6IrIII 4 decanuclear complex, [Cu6S{Ir(aet)3}4]4+, the use of the CuI 3RhIII 2 complex with fac-[Rh(apt)3] metalloligands, [Cu3{Rh(apt)3}2]3+ (apt=3-aminopropanethiolate), resulted in the removal of one of the three CuI atoms from {CuI 3}3+ to afford the CuI 2RhIII 2 tetranuclear complex, [Cu2{Rh(apt)3}2]2+.

Postsynthetic Installation of Lanthanide Cubane Clusters in a 3D Hydrogen-Bonded Framework of IrIII4ZnII4 Multicarboxylates

Immersing single crystals of (Δ)4-K6[Ir4Zn4O(l-cysteinate)12]·nH2O (K6[1Ir]·nH2O) bearing 12 free carboxylate groups, which was newly prepared from Δ-H3[Ir(l-cysteinate)3], ZnBr2, ZnO, and KOH, in an aqueous solution of lanthanide(III) acetate produced Ln2[1Ir]·nH2O (2Ln; Ln = LaIII, CeIII, PrIII, and NdIII) and Ln0.33[Ln4(OH)4(OAc)3(H2O)7][1Ir]·nH2O (3Ln; Ln = SmIII, EuIII, GdIII, TbIII, DyIII, ErIII, HoIII, TmIII, YbIII, and LuIII) in a single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation manner. X-ray crystallography showed that the KI ions in K6[1Ir]·nH2O are completely exchanged by the LnIII ions in 2Ln and 3Ln, retaining the 3D hydrogen-bonded framework that consists of the IrIII4ZnII4 complex anions of [1Ir]6-. While 2Ln contained the LnIII ions as isolated aqua species, the LnIII ions in 3Ln existed as cationic cubane clusters of [Ln4(OH)4(OAc)3(H2O)7]5+; these were linked by [1Ir]6- anions through carboxylate groups in a 3D polymeric structure. 3Ln showed magnetic and photoluminescence properties that are characteristically observed for discrete LnIII species in the solid state.

Polymorphism of Two-Dimensional Semiconducting Coordination Polymers: Impact of a Lead-Sulfur Network on Photoconductivity

Sulfur-coordinated coordination polymers (S-CPs) have unique optoelectrical properties that originate from infinite M-S bond networks. In this study, we synthesized and characterized two polymorphs of a two-dimensional (2D) Pb(II) S-CP with a formula of [Pb(tzdt)(OAc)] (Htzdt=1,3-thiazolidine-2-thione, OAc=acetate). Our findings revealed that the thermodynamic product (KGF-26) possesses quasi-2D (-Pb-S-)n layers with weak nonbonded Pb-S bonds, whereas the kinetic product (KGF-27) has intrinsic 2D (-Pb-S-)n layers with Pb-S bonds. The results of time-resolved microwave conductivity measurements and first-principles calculations confirmed that KGF-27 exhibits higher photoconductivity than KGF-26, which establishes that the inorganic (-Pb-S-)n networks with Pb-S bonds are crucial for achieving high photoconductivity. This is the first experimental demonstration of the impact of the (-M-S-)n networks in S-CPs on photoconductivity through the comparison of crystal polymorphisms.

Synthesis, crystal structure and investigation of ion-exchange possibility for sodium tellurate NaTeO3(OH)

A new sodium tellurate has been hydrothermally synthesized and comprehensively analysed using spectroscopic and thermogravimetric techniques, resulting in the determination of its composition as NaTeO3(OH). The analysis of synchrotron X-ray and neutron diffraction data indicates that NaTeO3(OH) has a crystal structure similar to that of the previously reported tellurate, KTeO3(OH), with the space group P21/a (No. 14). NaTeO3(OH) consists of zigzag one-dimensional chains built by edge-sharing TeO6 octahedra, running parallel to the c-axis and connected to sodium and hydrogen atoms. The hydrogen atoms covalently bond to the terminal oxygen atoms on the one-dimensional chain and also form hydrogen bonds with other terminal oxygen atoms on nearby chains. The structure has been confirmed by optimization using the pseudopotential method and performing Bond Valence Sum (BVS) analysis. Although Li+ ions in LiTeO3(OH) can be exchanged reversibly with H+ ions, no ion exchange behaviour is observed in NaTeO3(OH). The difference is attributed to the size of the alkali ions and their crystal structure.

La2SrSc2O7: A-Site Cation Disorder Induces Ferroelectricity in Ruddlesden-Popper Layered Perovskite Oxide

Rational design of ferroelectrics in layered perovskites, like n = 2 Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) phase A3B2O7, has been achieved by the hybrid-improper ferroelectric (HIF) mechanism, in which an electric polarization is induced via a trilinear coupling to nonpolar BO6 octahedral rotation and tilt distortions around crystallographic axes. In the present work, hybrid improper ferroelectricity in n = 2 RP-type La2SrSc2O7 induced by the disordering of Sr2+/La3+ cations on the A-sites in rocksalt ([Sr/La]Rs = 25/75) and perovskite ([Sr/La]Pv = 50/50) layers is demonstrated through experimental and theoretical investigations. The ferroelectric A21am structure (a-a-c+ in Glazer notation) at room temperature and the second-order phase transition to paraelectric Amam structure (a-a-c0) at TC ∼ 600 K are determined by a combination of X-ray and neutron diffraction and optical second harmonic generation. The ferroelectric hysteresis loop measurements prove the switchable electric polarization indicative of ferroelectricity. These results represent an unprecedented example of ferroelectricity in the n = 2 RP family of Ln2AB2O7 with inequivalent Ln3+ and A2+ cations. Combining the abovementioned experimental results with the first-principles calculations, we verify the role of Sr/La distributions in regulating the interlayer rumpling, which, in addition to the structural tolerance factor, is key to controlling the structural distortions of RP phases. The stabilization of the ferroelectric, a-a-c+ distorted structure is a consequence of the disordered Sr/La distribution on the A-sites, which suppresses the rumpling-induced octahedral deformations in competition with the octahedral rotations and thus enables the concurrence of a0a0c+ rotations and a-a-c0 tilts required for the HIF mechanism. This work demonstrates the possibility of altering the crystal symmetry of RP phases through the A-site cation disorder and provides a complementary approach to the rational design of new HIF materials.

Double-Layered Perovskite Oxyfluoride Cathodes with High Capacity Involving O-O Bond Formation for Fluoride-Ion Batteries

Developing electrochemical high-energy storage systems is of crucial importance toward a green and sustainable energy supply. A promising candidate is fluoride-ion batteries (FIBs), which can deliver a much higher volumetric energy density than lithium-ion batteries. However, typical metal fluoride cathodes with conversion-type reactions cause a low-rate capability. Recently, layered perovskite oxides and oxyfluorides, such as LaSrMnO4 and Sr3Fe2O5F2, have been reported to exhibit relatively high rate performance and cycle stability compared to typical metal fluoride cathodes with conversion-type reactions, but their discharge capacities (∼118 mA h/g) are lower than those of typical cathodes used in lithium-ion batteries. Here, we show that double-layered perovskite oxyfluoride La1.2Sr1.8Mn2O7-δF2 exhibits (de) intercalation of two fluoride ions to rock-salt slabs and further (de) intercalation of excess fluoride ions to the perovskite layer, leading to a reversible capacity of 200 mA h/g. The additional fluoride-ion intercalation leads to the formation of O-O bond in the structure for charge compensation (i.e., anion redox). These results highlight the layered perovskite oxyfluorides as a new class of active materials for the construction of high-performance FIBs.

Low-Temperature Chiral Crystal Structure and Superconductivity in (Pt0.2Ir0.8)3Zr5

We report the observation of superconductivity in (Pt0.2Ir0.8)3Zr5 with a chiral space group (P6122) at low temperatures. The bulk nature of the superconductivity at a transition temperature of 2.2 K was confirmed using specific heat measurements. We revealed that (Pt0.2Ir0.8)3Zr5 obeys the weak-coupling Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer model, and the dominant mechanism in the upper critical field is the orbital pair-breaking limit rather than the Pauli-Clogston limit. This indicates that the antisymmetric spin-orbit coupling caused by the chiral crystal structure does not significantly affect the superconductivity of (Pt0.2Ir0.8)3Zr5.

Antiferroelectricity-Induced Negative Thermal Expansion in Double Perovskite Pb2 CoMoO6

Materials with negative thermal expansion (NTE) attract significant research attention owing to their unique physical properties and promising applications. Although ferroelectric phase transitions leading to NTE are widely investigated, information on antiferroelectricity-induced NTE remains limited. In this study, single-crystal and polycrystalline Pb2 CoMoO6 samples are prepared at high pressure and temperature conditions. The compound crystallizes into an antiferroelectric Pnma orthorhombic double perovskite structure at room temperature owing to the opposite displacements dominated by Pb2+ ions. With increasing temperature to 400 K, a structural phase transition to cubic Fm-3m paraelectric phase occurs, accompanied by a sharp volume contraction of 0.41%. This is the first report of an antiferroelectric-to-paraelectric transition-induced NTE in Pb2 CoMoO6 . Moreover, the compound also exhibits remarkable NTE with an average volumetric coefficient of thermal expansion αV = -1.33 × 10-5 K-1 in a wide temperature range of 30-420 K. The as-prepared Pb2 CoMoO6 thus serves as a prototype material system for studying antiferroelectricity-induced NTE.

Anisotropic Thermal Expansion and a Second-Order Charge Order Transition in the Ferrimagnetic Dy2CuZnMn4O12 Perovskite with Triple A-Site Cation Ordering

Dy2CuZnMn4O12 perovskite, belonging to the A-site columnar-ordered quadruple perovskite family with the general composition of A2A'A″B4O12, was prepared by a high-pressure, high-temperature method at 6 GPa and 1500 K. Its crystal structure was studied by synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction between 100 and 800 K. The ideal cation distribution (without antisite disorder) was found to be realized within the sensitivity of the synchrotron X-ray diffraction method. Between 100 and 400 K, it crystallizes in space group Pmmn (no. 59) and has layered charge ordering of Mn3+ and Mn4+ at the B sites. Above 425 K, it crystallizes in space group P42/nmc (no. 137) with one crystallographic B site and an average Mn3.5+ oxidation state. The charge ordering transition (at TCO = 425 K) appears to be of the second order as no anomalies were found on differential scanning calorimetry curves and temperature dependence of the unit cell volume, and the orthorhombic a and b lattice parameters merge gradually. The compound demonstrates anisotropic thermal expansion with the c lattice parameter decreasing with increasing temperature above 280 K. A ferrimagnetic transition occurs at TC = 116 K with an additional, gradual rise of magnetic susceptibilities below 45 K, probably due to increases of the ordered moments of the Dy sublattices.

Bayesian framework for analyzing adsorption processes observed via time-resolved X-ray diffraction

Clarifying dynamic processes of materials is an important research topic in materials science. Time-resolved X-ray diffraction is a powerful technique for probing dynamic processes. To understand the dynamics, it is essential to analyze time-series data using appropriate time-evolution models and accurate start times of dynamic processes. However, conventional analyses based on non-linear least-squares fitting have difficulty both evaluating time-evolution models and estimating start times. Here, we establish a Bayesian framework including time-evolution models. We investigate an adsorption process, which is a representative dynamic process, and extract information about the time-evolution model and adsorption start time. The information enables us to estimate adsorption properties such as rate constants more accurately, thus achieving more precise understanding of dynamic adsorption processes. Our framework is highly versatile, can be applied to other dynamic processes such as chemical reactions, and is expected to be utilized in various areas of materials science.

A-Site Columnar-Ordered Perovskite CaZnV2O6 as a Pauli-Paramagnetic Metal

In this study, we successfully synthesized a novel A-site columnar-ordered perovskite CaZnV₂O₆. This compound features a square-planar-coordinated Zn²⁺ disorder, which is the same characteristic as the centrosymmetric paraelectric CaMnTi₂O₆. Unlike CaMnTi₂O₆, which shows a centrosymmetric paraelectric-noncentrosymmetric ferroelectric transition, CaZnV₂O₆ retains Pauli-paramagnetic metallicity arising from itinerant V⁴⁺ d¹ electrons and centrosymmetry down to 5 K. Based on analogous compounds, we expect CaZnV₂O₆ to provide a new playground for the electronic and magnetic states of V⁴⁺.

Synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction under high pressures up to 33 MPa for mechanoresponsive materials

Equipment for synchrotron X-ray diffraction at high pressures up to 33 MPa with an accuracy of ±0.1 MPa using a liquid as a pressure-transmitting medium has been developed. This equipment enables atomic-scale observation of the structural change of mechanoresponsive materials under applied pressures. The validity of the equipment is demonstrated by observation of the pressure dependence of the lattice parameters of copper. The observed bulk modulus of copper was found to be 139 (13) GPa which is a good agreement with the literature value. The developed equipment was subsequently applied to a repeatable mechanoluminescence material, Li_0.12Na_0.88NbO₃:Pr³⁺. The bulk modulus and compressibility along the a and c axes were determined as 79 (9) GPa, 0.0048 (6) GPa^-1 and 0.0030 (9) GPa^-1, respectively, for the R3c phase. The advance of high-pressure X-ray diffraction will play an important role in understanding mechanoresponsive materials towards their atomic-scale design.

Hidden chemical order in disordered Ba7Nb4MoO20 revealed by resonant X-ray diffraction and solid-state NMR

The chemical order and disorder of solids have a decisive influence on the material properties. There are numerous materials exhibiting chemical order/disorder of atoms with similar X-ray atomic scattering factors and similar neutron scattering lengths. It is difficult to investigate such order/disorder hidden in the data obtained from conventional diffraction methods. Herein, we quantitatively determined the Mo/Nb order in the high ion conductor Ba₇Nb₄MoO₂₀ by a technique combining resonant X-ray diffraction, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and first-principle calculations. NMR provided direct evidence that Mo atoms occupy only the M2 site near the intrinsically oxygen-deficient ion-conducting layer. Resonant X-ray diffraction determined the occupancy factors of Mo atoms at the M2 and other sites to be 0.50 and 0.00, respectively. These findings provide a basis for the development of ion conductors. This combined technique would open a new avenue for in-depth investigation of the hidden chemical order/disorder in materials.

Impact of Ti and Zn Dual-Substitution in P2 Type Na2/3 Ni1/3 Mn2/3 O2 on Ni-Mn and Na-Vacancy Ordering and Electrochemical Properties

High-entropy layered oxide materials containing various metals that exhibit smooth voltage curves and excellent electrochemical performances have attracted attention in the development of positive electrode materials for sodium-ion batteries. However, a smooth voltage curve can be obtained by suppression of the Na⁺ -vacancy ordering, and therefore, transition metal slabs do not need to be more multi-element than necessary. Here, the Na⁺ -vacancy ordering is found to be disturbed by dual substitution of Ti^IV for Mn^IV and Zn^II for Ni^II in P2-Na_2/3 [Ni_1/3 Mn_2/3 ]O₂ . Dual-substituted Na_2/3 [Ni_1/4 Mn_1/2 Ti_1/6 Zn_1/12 ]O₂ demonstrates almost non-step voltage curves with a reversible capacity of 114 mAh g^-1 and less structural changes with a high crystalline structure maintained during charging and discharging. Synchrotron X-ray, neutron, and electron diffraction measurements reveal that dual-substitution with Ti^IV and Zn^II uniquely promotes in-plane Ni^II -Mn^IV ordering, which is quite different from the disordered mixing in conventional multiple metal substitution.

Synthesis and Characterization of a Trigonal Layered Compound AgInS2

Depending on thermal and pressure conditions, AgInS₂ exhibits various crystal structures. In this study, we synthesized a high-purity polycrystalline sample of trigonal AgInS₂, which is a layered compound, using a high-pressure synthesis technique. The crystal structure was investigated by synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction and the Rietveld refinement. On the basis of band calculation, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrical resistance measurements, we found that the obtained trigonal AgInS₂ is a semiconductor. Temperature dependencies of electrical resistance of AgInS₂ were measured by a diamond anvil cell up to 31.2 GPa. Although semiconducting behavior was suppressed with pressure, metallic behavior was not observed within the pressure range investigated in this study.

Thermal batteries based on inverse barocaloric effects

To harvest and reuse low-temperature waste heat, we propose and realize an emergent concept-barocaloric thermal batteries based on the large inverse barocaloric effect of ammonium thiocyanate (NH₄SCN). Thermal charging is initialized upon pressurization through an order-to-disorder phase transition, and the discharging of 43 J g^-1 takes place at depressurization, which is 11 times more than the input mechanical energy. The thermodynamic equilibrium nature of the pressure-restrained heat-carrying phase guarantees stable long-duration storage. The barocaloric thermal batteries reinforced by their solid microscopic mechanism are expected to substantially advance the ability to take advantage of waste heat.

Nuclear and magnetic spin structure of the antiferromagnetic triangular lattice compound LiCrTe2 investigated by [Formula: see text]SR, neutron and X-ray diffraction

Two-dimensional (2D) triangular lattice antiferromagnets (2D-TLA) often manifest intriguing physical and technological properties, due to the strong interplay between lattice geometry and electronic properties. The recently synthesized 2-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide LiCrTe[Formula: see text], being a 2D-TLA, enriched the range of materials which can present such properties. In this work, muon spin rotation ([Formula: see text]SR) and neutron powder diffraction (NPD) have been utilized to reveal the true magnetic nature and ground state of LiCrTe[Formula: see text]. From high-resolution NPD the magnetic spin order at base-temperature is not, as previously suggested, helical, but rather collinear antiferromagnetic (AFM) with ferromagnetic (FM) spin coupling within the ab-plane and AFM coupling along the c-axis. The value if the ordered magnetic Cr moment is established as [Formula: see text]. From detailed [Formula: see text]SR measurements we observe an AFM ordering temperature [Formula: see text] K. This value is remarkably higher than the one previously reported by magnetic bulk measurements. From [Formula: see text]SR we are able to extract the magnetic order parameter, whose critical exponent allows us to categorize LiCrTe[Formula: see text] in the 3D Heisenberg AFM universality class. Finally, by combining our magnetic studies with high-resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD), we find a clear coupling between the nuclear and magnetic spin lattices. This suggests the possibility for a strong magnon-phonon coupling, similar to what has been previously observed in the closely related compound LiCrO[Formula: see text].

Impact of Na Concentration on the Phase Transition Behavior and H- Conductivities in the Ba-Li-Na-H-O Oxyhydride System

K2 NiF4 -type Ba-Li oxyhydride (BLHO) transitions to a so-called hydride superionic conductor, exhibiting a high and essentially temperature-independent hydride ion (H- ) conductivity over 0.01 S cm-1 through the disordering of H- vacancies above 300 °C. In this study, a Ba-Li-Na-H-O oxyhydride system synthesized in which lithium is partially substituted with sodium in BLHO and investigated the effects of Na content on the phase transition behavior and the conductivity. Structural refinements and differential scanning calorimetry experiments confirmed a lowering trend in the phase transition temperatures and decreasing enthalpy changes for the transition with increasing Na content. Substitution of not <40% of Li with Na lowered the degree of ordered vacancies at the H- sites at room temperature and improved conductivities by more than two orders of magnitude in the low-temperature region (T < 300 °C) before the phase transition. These findings clearly show that introducing Na into the lattice effectively stabilizes the high-conductive phase of BLHO.

Anionic ordering in Pb2Ti4O9F2 revisited by nuclear magnetic resonance and density functional theory

A combination of ¹⁹F magic angle spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and density functional theory (DFT) were used to study the ordering of F atoms in Pb₂Ti₄O₉F₂. This analysis revealed that F atoms predominantly occupy two of the six available inequivalent sites in a ratio of 73 : 27. DFT-based calculations explained the preference of F occupation on these sites and quantitatively reproduced the experimental occupation ratio, independent of the choice of functional. We concluded that the Pb atom's 6s² lone pair may play a role (∼0.1 eV per f.u.) in determining the majority and minority F occupation sites with partial density of states and crystal orbital Hamiltonian population analyses applied to the DFT wave functions.

Triple A-Site Cation Ordering in the Ferrimagnetic Y2CuGaMn4O12 Perovskite

A new member of A-site columnar-ordered A₂A′A″B₄O₁₂ quadruple perovskites with the composition of Y₂CuGaMn₄O₁₂ was prepared by a high-pressure, high-temperature method at 6 GPa and about 1500 K. Its crystal structure and cation distributions were studied by powder synchrotron X-ray and neutron diffraction. There is a triple A-site cation ordering with some degrees of anti-site disorder among sites occupied by 3d transition metals: [Y₂]_A[Cu_0.8Mn_0.2]_A′[Ga_0.8Mn_0.2]_A″[Mn_3.6Cu_0.2Ga_0.2]_BO₁₂. It has the space group P4₂/nmc (no. 137) between 1.5 and 873 K with a = 7.33884 Å and c = 7.66251 Å at 297 K. Despite anti-site disorder, it exhibits a long-range ferrimagnetic order at T_C = 115 K with the ordered moment of 2.19 μ_B at each B site and 0.89 μ_B at the A′ or A″ site. Magnetic moments are aligned along the c axis; all moments are ordered ferromagnetically at the B sites, and the moments at the A′ or A″ site are ordered in the opposite direction. Cu²⁺ doping drastically changes magnetic properties as “parent” Y₂MnGaMn₄O₁₂ just shows spin-glass magnetic properties without long-range ordering. Anisotropic thermal expansion was observed in Y₂CuGaMn₄O₁₂: the lattice parameter a almost linearly decreases from 1.5 K to T_C and then monotonically increases up to 873 K (almost linearly from 300 K); the parameter c monotonically increases from 1.5 to 300 K and then decreases up to 600 K.

A new member of the A-site columnar-ordered quadruple perovskite A₂A′A″B₄O₁₂ family, Y₂CuGaMn₄O₁₂, was prepared at high pressure and high temperature, with triple A-site ordering and ferrimagnetic properties.

Negative Thermal Expansion in Fluoroapatite Pb5(VO4)3F Enhanced by the Steric Effect of Pb2

Negative thermal expansion (NTE) is an unusual thermophysical phenomenon and has gained attention as a way of controlling thermal expansion. Here, we report a substantial NTE in fluoroapatite Pb₅(VO₄)₃F in a limited temperature range. The dilatometric study revealed volume shrinkage below 150 K, giving a linear thermal expansion coefficient of α_L = -44 ppm/K in the temperature range from 140 to 120 K upon heating. The NTE behavior is associated with a structural transition from the hexagonal (P6₃/m) phase to the monoclinic (P2₁/b) phase. Such a structural transition has been found in other apatite-type compounds, but the magnitude of the volume change in Pb₅(VO₄)₃F is remarkable. Our structural analysis revealed that the structural transition is classified as an antiferroelectric-to-paraelectric transition and the volume change during the transition is enhanced by the steric effect of 6s² lone-pair electrons of Pb²⁺.

Aurivillius Phase Bi4V3O12 with d1 Magnetic Cations, Anisotropic and Negative Thermal Expansion, Multiple Structural Transitions, and Low-Dimensional Magnetism

Aurivillius phases are an important class of inorganic compounds as they often show ferroelectric properties, and some members of this family are used in nonvolatile ferroelectric memories. The majority of Aurivillius phases have nonmagnetic d⁰ cations in the perovskite block. Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ is the best-known and extensively studied compound within this family. Here, using a high-pressure, high-temperature synthesis method, we could successfully prepare a full magnetic analogue, Bi₄V₃O₁₂, with d¹ cations. Bi₄V₃O₁₂ is unstable in air above about 520 K. However, in an inert atmosphere, Bi₄V₃O₁₂ demonstrates two first-order reversible structural transitions near 525 and 760 K. The high-temperature prototypical phase is the same in both Bi₄V₃O₁₂ and Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ with tetragonal (T) I4/mmm symmetry and a_T = 3.85608(5) Å and c_T = 32.6920(8) Å (at 850 K) for Bi₄V₃O₁₂, while the low-temperature phases are different. Bi₄V₃O₁₂ shows anisotropic thermal expansion above 300 K and negative volumetric thermal expansion above about 700 K. Magnetic measurements showed a broad maximum near 70 K on magnetic susceptibility, indicating the presence of low-dimensional magnetism with strong antiferromagnetic interactions between V⁴⁺ ions with the Curie-Weiss temperature of about -370 K. But no long-range magnetic ordering was found in Bi₄V₃O₁₂ down to 2 K.

Compositional dependence of structures and hydrogen evolution reaction activity of platinum-group-metal quinary RuRhPdIrPt alloy nanoparticles

Platinum-group-metal quinary RuRhPdIrPt alloy nanoparticles were synthesised with compositions slightly away from equimolar, and their crystal and electronic structures were investigated. Their lattice constant changed linearly with composition, while the d-band centre changed nonlinearly. Their catalytic activities for the hydrogen evolution reaction were not correlated with their d-band centre.

Asymmetric Lumino-Transformer: Circularly Polarized Luminescence of Chiral Eu(III) Coordination Polymer with Phase-Transition Behavior

A chiral Eu(III) coordination polymer with phase-transition behavior, [Eu(+tfc)₃(m-dpeb)]_n, (+tfc: (+)-3-trifluoroacetylcamphorato, m-dpeb: 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphorylethynyl)benzene) was reported for understanding the effect of polymer chain arrangement (orientation effect) on the circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) in a solid system. The phase-transition behavior of the transformable Eu(III) coordination polymer was characterized using differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffraction. The Eu(III) coordination polymer exhibited phase transition at approximately 180 °C. The magnitude of the CPL intensity was drastically changed because of the phase transition, without coordination geometrical change around the Eu(III) ion. In this study, the orientation effect of a chiral Eu(III) coordination polymer on the CPL properties in crystalline solid is demonstrated.

Unexpected Phonon Behaviour in BiFexCr1-xO3, a Material System Different from Its BiFeO3 and BiCrO3 Parents

The dielectric function and the bandgap of BiFe_0.5Cr_0.5O₃ thin films were determined from spectroscopic ellipsometry and compared with that of the parent compounds BiFeO₃ and BiCrO₃. The bandgap value of BiFe_0.5Cr_0.5O₃ is lower than that of BiFeO₃ and BiCrO₃, due to an optical transition at ~2.27 eV attributed to a charge transfer excitation between the Cr and Fe ions. This optical transition enables new phonon modes which have been investigated using Raman spectroscopy by employing multi-wavelengths excitation. The appearance of a new Raman mode at ~670 cm⁻¹ with a strong intensity dependence on the excitation line and its higher order scattering activation was found for both BiFe_0.5Cr_0.5O₃ thin films and BiFe_xCr_1−xO₃ polycrystalline bulk samples. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy was also used to investigate temperature induced structural phase transitions in BiFe_0.3Cr_0.7O₃.

Estimation of the Grüneisen Parameter of High-Entropy Alloy-Type Functional Materials: The Cases of REO0.7F0.3BiS2 and MTe

In functional materials such as thermoelectric materials and superconductors, the interplay between functionality, electronic structure, and phonon characteristics is one of the key factors to improve functionality and to understand the underlying mechanisms. In the first part of this article, we briefly review investigations on lattice anharmonicity in functional materials on the basis of the Grüneisen parameter (γG). We show that γG can be a good index for large lattice anharmonicity and for detecting a change in anharmonicity amplitude in functional materials. Then, we show original results on the estimation of γG for recently developed high-entropy alloy-type (HEA-type) functional materials with a layered structure and a NaCl-type structure. As a common trend for those two systems with two- and three-dimensional structures, we found that γG increased with a slight increase in the configurational entropy of mixing (ΔSmix) and then decreased with increasing ΔSmix in the high-entropy region.

Synthesis and Characterization of High-Entropy-Alloy-Type Layered Telluride MBi2Te4 (M = Ag, In, Sn, Pb, Bi)

Recently, high-entropy alloys (HEAs) and HEA-type compounds have been extensively studied in the fields of material science and engineering. In this article, we report on the synthesis of a layered system MBi2Te4 where the M site possesses low-, middle-, and high-entropy states. The samples with M = Pb, Ag1/3Pb1/3Bi1/3, and Ag1/5In1/5Sn1/5Pb1/5Bi1/5 were newly synthesized and the crystal structure was examined by synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement. We found that the M-Te2 distance was systematically compressed with decreasing lattice constants, where the configurational entropy of mixing at the M site is also systematically increased. The details of structural refinements and the electrical transport property are presented.

Hydride-ion-conducting K2NiF4-type Ba-Li oxyhydride solid electrolyte

Hydrogen transport in solids, applied in electrochemical devices such as fuel cells and electrolysis cells, is key to sustainable energy societies. Although using proton (H⁺) conductors is an attractive choice, practical conductivity at intermediate temperatures (200-400 °C), which would be ideal for most energy and chemical conversion applications, remains a challenge. Alternatively, hydride ions (H^-), that is, monovalent anions with high polarizability, can be considered a promising charge carrier that facilitates fast ionic conduction in solids. Here, we report a K₂NiF₄-type Ba-Li oxyhydride with an appreciable amount of hydrogen vacancies that presents long-range order at room temperature. Increasing the temperature results in the disappearance of the vacancy ordering, triggering a high and essentially temperature-independent H^- conductivity of more than 0.01 S cm^-1 above 315 °C. Such a remarkable H^- conducting nature at intermediate temperatures is anticipated to be important for energy and chemical conversion devices.

Fully automated measurement system for temperature-dependent X-ray total scattering at beamline BL04B2 at SPring-8

Data-driven approaches in materials science demand the collection of large amounts of data on the target materials at synchrotron beamlines. To accurately gather suitable experimental data, it is essential to establish fully automated measurement systems to reduce the workload of the beamline staff. Moreover, the recent COVID-19 pandemic has further emphasized the necessity of automated and/or remote measurements at synchrotron beamlines. Here, the installation of a new sample changer combined with a high-temperature furnace and a fully automated alignment system on beamline BL04B2 at SPring-8 is reported. The system allows X-ray total scattering measurements of up to 21 samples at different temperatures (from room temperature to 1200°C) to be conducted without any human assistance.

Crystal Structure Control of Binary and Ternary Solid-Solution Alloy Nanoparticles with a Face-Centered Cubic or Hexagonal Close-Packed Phase

The crystal structure significantly affects the physical and chemical properties of solids. However, the crystal structure-dependent properties of alloys are rarely studied because controlling the crystal structure of an alloy at the same composition is extremely difficult. Here, for the first time, we successfully demonstrate the synthesis of binary Ru-Pt (Ru/Pt = 7:3) and Ru-Ir (Ru/Ir = 7:3) and ternary Ru-Ir-Pt (Ru/Ir/Pt = 7:1.5:1.5) solid-solution alloy nanoparticles (NPs) with well-controlled hexagonal close-packed (hcp) and face-centered cubic (fcc) phases, through the chemical reduction method. The crystal structure control is realized by precisely tunning the reduction speeds of the metal precursors. The effect of the crystal structure on the catalytic performance of solid-solution alloy NPs is systematically investigated. Impressively, all the hcp alloy NPs show superior electrocatalytic activities for the hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline solution compared with the fcc alloy NPs. In particular, hcp-RuIrPt exhibits extremely high intrinsic (mass) activity, which is 3.1 (3.2) and 6.7 (6.9) times enhanced compared to that of fcc-RuIrPt and commercial Pt/C.

Exploratory Synthesis for Complex Metal Fluorides Using Solid-State Fluorine Sources

We attempted to synthesize complex metal fluorides via reaction between metal and solid-state fluorine sources and succeeded in preparing trirutile-type Li₂MoF₆ using LiF, the metal Mo, and CuF₂. We also found a new phase of Li₂MoF₆ that is isostructural with trigonal Li₂ZrF₆ via a combination of solid-state fluorine sources and high-pressure synthesis. The reaction occurs exothermically and involves conversion and addition associated with redox reaction, and CuF₂ then functions as both an oxidizing agent and fluorine source. Because the overall reaction proceeds stoichiometrically, the required amount of fluorine can be controlled by the amount of solid-state fluorine agents. The synthesis route was also applicable for the preparation of other known fluorides, Li₂MF₆ (M = Ti, Zr, and Nb) and β-Li₃MF₆ (M = Ti and V). The synthetic route using a solid-state fluorine source is suitable for the exploration of novel inorganic complex metal fluorides.

Specific lift-up behaviour of acetate-intercalated layered yttrium hydroxide interlayer in water: application for heterogeneous Brønsted base catalysts toward Knoevenagel reactions

The basal (00l) plane of acetate-intercalated layered yttrium hydroxide (CH3COO−/Y-LRH), synthesised by an anion exchange using Cl−/Y-LRH as a parent material, increased in water, and the lifted-up layered structure was generated immediately.

Phase Control of Solid-Solution Nanoparticles beyond the Phase Diagram for Enhanced Catalytic Properties

The crystal structure, which intrinsically affects the properties of solids, is determined by the constituent elements and composition of solids. Therefore, it cannot be easily controlled beyond the phase diagram because of thermodynamic limitations. Here, we demonstrate the first example of controlling the crystal structures of a solid-solution nanoparticle (NP) entirely without changing its composition and size. We synthesized face-centered cubic (fcc) or hexagonal close-packed (hcp) structured Pd _x Ru_1-x NPs (x = 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6), although they cannot be synthesized as bulk materials. Crystal-structure control greatly improves the catalytic properties; that is, the hcp-Pd _x Ru_1-x NPs exceed their fcc counterparts toward the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in corrosive acid. These NPs only require an overpotential (η) of 200 mV at 10 mA cm^-2, can maintain the activity for more than 20 h, greatly outperforming the fcc-Pd_0.4Ru_0.6 NPs (η = 280 mV, 9 min), and are among the most efficient OER catalysts reported. Synchrotron X-ray-based spectroscopy, atomic-resolution electron microscopy, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the enhanced OER performance of hcp-PdRu originates from the high stability against oxidative dissolution.

Dataset of the crystal structures, electrical transport properties, and first-principles electronic structures of GeTe-rich GeTe-Sb2Te3 thermoelectric materials

The data presented in this article relate to the research article entitled "Superior room-temperature power factor in GeTe systems via multiple valence band convergence to a narrow energy range" [T. Oku et al., Mater. Today Phys. 20 (2021) 100484 (10.1016/j.mtphys.2021.100484)]. Polycrystalline (GeTe) _n Sb₂Te₃ (n = 10, 12, 16, 20, and 24) bulk samples were prepared by melting and annealing. The Ge defect concentration of each composition was estimated from Rietveld refinement of the synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction patterns. Electrical properties, such as the electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient, were measured from three specimens of each composition to confirm reproducibility. Electronic-band-structure parameters and electronic density-of-states of each composition were obtained by first-principles calculations.

Dataset of the crystal structures, electrical transport properties, and first-principles electronic structures of GeTe-rich GeTe-Sb2Te3 thermoelectric materials

The data presented in this article relate to the research article entitled "Superior room-temperature power factor in GeTe systems via multiple valence band convergence to a narrow energy range" [T. Oku et al., Mater. Today Phys. 20 (2021) 100484 (10.1016/j.mtphys.2021.100484)]. Polycrystalline (GeTe) _n Sb₂Te₃ (n = 10, 12, 16, 20, and 24) bulk samples were prepared by melting and annealing. The Ge defect concentration of each composition was estimated from Rietveld refinement of the synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction patterns. Electrical properties, such as the electrical resistivity and Seebeck coefficient, were measured from three specimens of each composition to confirm reproducibility. Electronic-band-structure parameters and electronic density-of-states of each composition were obtained by first-principles calculations.

A chromotropic PtIIPdIICoII coordination polymer with dual electrocatalytic activity for water reduction and oxidation

Here, we present a heterometallic coordination polymer that exhibits heterogeneous electrocatalytic activities for both water reduction and water oxidation. Treatment of the PtII2PdII2 tetranuclear complex [Pd₂{Pt(NH₃)₂(D-pen)₂}₂] ([1]; D-H₂pen = D-penicillamine) with CoX₂ (X = Cl, Br) provided (PtII2PdII2CoII2)_n coordination polymers [Co₂(H₂O)₆(1)]X₄ ([2]X₄), in which the PtII2PdII2 units of [1] are linked by [Co₂(μ-H₂O)(H₂O)₅]⁴⁺ moieties in a 3D network structure. [2]X₄ showed a colour change from orange to dark green upon dehydration, reflecting the geometrical conversion of the Co^II centres in [Co₂(μ-H₂O)(H₂O)₅]⁴⁺ from an octahedron to a tetrahedron by the removal of aqua ligands. While both [2]Cl₄ and [2]Br₄ electrochemically catalysed water reduction to H₂ in the solid state due to the presence of Pd^II active centres, water oxidation to O₂ was catalysed only by [2]Br₄, which is ascribed to the presence of Br^- ions that mediate the catalytic reactions that occurred at Co^II active centres.

High-Pressure and High-Temperature Synthesis of Anion-Disordered Vanadium Perovskite Oxyhydrides

Crystallographic order-disorder phenomena in solid state compounds are of fundamental interest due to intimate relationship between the structure and properties. Here, by using high-pressure and high-temperature synthesis, we obtained vanadium perovskite oxyhydrides Sr_1-xNa_xVO_3-yH_y (x = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2) with an anion-disordered structure, which is different from anion-ordered SrVO₂H synthesized by topochemical reduction. High-pressure and high-temperature synthesis from nominal composition SrVO₂H yielded the anion-disordered perovskite SrVO_3-yH_y (y ∼ 0.4) with a significant amount of byproducts, while Na substitution resulted in the almost pure anion-disordered perovskite Sr_1-xNa_xVO_3-yH_y with an increased amount of hydride anion (y ∼ 0.7 for x = 0.2). The obtained disordered phases for x = 0.1 and 0.2 are paramagnetic with almost temperature-independent electronic conductivity, whereas anion-ordered SrVO₂H is an antiferromagnetic insulator. Although we obtained the anion-disordered perovskite under high pressure, a first-principles calculation revealed that the application of pressure stabilizes the ordered phase due to a reduced volume in the ordered structure, suggesting that a further increase of the pressure or reduction of the reaction temperature leads to the anion ordering. This study shows that anion ordering in oxyhydrides can be controlled by changing synthetic pressure and temperature.

A vanadium-based oxide-phosphate-pyrophosphate framework as a 4 V electrode material for K-ion batteries

K-ion batteries (KIBs) are promising for large-scale electrical energy storage owing to the abundant resources and the electrochemical specificity of potassium. Among the positive electrode materials for KIBs, vanadium-based polyanionic materials are interesting because of their high working voltage and good structural stability which dictates the cycle life. In this study, a potassium vanadium oxide phosphate, K6(VO)2(V2O3)2(PO4)4(P2O7), has been investigated as a 4 V class positive electrode material for non-aqueous KIBs. The material is synthesized through pyrolysis of a single metal-organic molecular precursor, K2[(VOHPO4)2(C2O4)] at 500 °C in air. The material demonstrates a reversible extraction/insertion of 2.7 mol of potassium from/into the structure at a discharge voltage of ∼4.03 V vs. K. Operando and ex situ powder X-ray diffraction analyses reveal that the material undergoes reversible K extraction/insertion during charge/discharge via a two-phase reaction mechanism. Despite the extraction/insertion of large potassium ions, the material demonstrates an insignificant volume change of ∼1.2% during charge/discharge resulting in excellent cycling stability without capacity degradation over 100 cycles in a highly concentrated electrolyte cell. Robustness of the polyanionic framework is proved from identical XRD patterns of the pristine and cycled electrodes (after 100 cycles).

Important Roles of Water Clusters Confined in a Nanospace as Revealed by a Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction Study

States of water molecules confined in a nanospace designed by montmorillonite (negatively charged silicate layer) and charge compensating benzylammonium were investigated. Caffeine was used as a probe because of its compatibility for the fine structure of the interlayer water. Powder synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction (SXRD) and adsorption isotherms of the water vapor revealed a metastable structure of bimolecular water layers (2WLs) in the interlayer space. Water molecules readily penetrated to expand the interlayer space to 0.56 nm. The interlayer space did not increase further even in the presence of excess water. According to the isosteric heat of water, the expansion was limited because of moderate hydration as forming 2WLs. Caffeine molecules replaced a part of the water molecules in the 2WLs to expand the interlayer space to 0.65 nm. Time-resolved SXRD with an accumulation time of 500 ms revealed that the interlayer expansion reached a steady state within a few minutes. The caffeine intercalation proceeded, involving a change in the molecular orientation that increased the contact area of the caffeine molecules. The interlayer expansion was limited in all the solvents examined (mixtures of water with methanol, ethanol, acetone, and tetrahydrofuran), while the packing density of the incorporated caffeine was maximized in the absence of an organic solvent. The water molecules confined in the interlayer space acted as an actuator to accommodate a large quantity of amphiphilic molecules by adapting the nanostructure, which was achieved by releasing the confined water molecules.

Kinetically Stabilized Cation Arrangement in Li3 YCl6 Superionic Conductor during Solid-State Reaction

The main approach for exploring metastable materials is via trial-and-error synthesis, and there is limited understanding of how metastable materials are kinetically stabilized. In this study, a metastable phase superionic conductor, β-Li₃ YCl₆ , is discovered through in situ X-ray diffraction after heating a mixture of LiCl and YCl₃ powders. While Cl^- arrangement is represented as a hexagonal close packed structure in both metastable β-Li₃ YCl₆ synthesized below 600 K and stable α-Li₃ YCl₆ above 600 K, the arrangement of Li⁺ and Y³⁺ in β-Li₃ YCl₆ determined by neutron diffraction brought about the cell with a 1/√3 a-axis and a similar c-axis of stable α-Li₃ YCl₆ . Higher Li⁺ ion conductivity and lower activation energy for Li⁺ transport are observed in comparison with α-Li₃ YCl₆ . The computationally calculated low migration barrier of Li⁺ supports the low activation energy for Li⁺ conduction, and the calculated high migration barrier of Y³⁺ kinetically stabilizes this metastable phase by impeding phase transformation to α-Li₃ YCl₆ . This work shows that the combination of in situ observation of solid-state reactions and computation of the migration energy can facilitate the comprehension of the solid-state reactions allowing kinetic stabilization of metastable materials, and can enable the discovery of new metastable materials in a short time.

Highly Porous Ionic Solids Consisting of AuI3CoIII2 Complex Anions and Aqua Metal Cations

Treatment of Na₃[Au₃Co₂(d-pen)₆] (Na₃[1]; d-H₂pen = d-penicillamine) with M(OAc)₂ (M = Ni^II, Mn^II) in water gave ionic crystals of [M(H₂O)₆]₃[1]₂ (2^M) in which [1]^3- anions are hydrogen-bonded with [M(H₂O)₆]²⁺ cations to form a 3D porous framework with a porosity of ca. 80%. Soaking crystals of 2^Ni in its mother liquor afforded crystals of [Ni(H₂O)₆]₂[{Ni(H₂O)₄}(1)₂] (3^Ni) in which [1]^3- anions are connected to trans-[Ni(H₂O)₄]²⁺ and [Ni(H₂O)₆]²⁺ cations through coordination and hydrogen bonds, respectively, to form a 1D porous framework with a porosity ca. 60%. Further soaking crystals led to [{Ni(H₂O)₄}₃(1)₂] (4^Ni), in which [1]^3- anions are connected to cis-[Ni(H₂O)₄]²⁺ and trans-[Ni(H₂O)₄]²⁺ cations through coordination bonds in a dense framework with a porosity of ca. 30%. A similar two-step crystal-to-crystal transformation mediated by solvent proceeded when crystals of 2^Mn were soaked in a mother liquor. However, the transformation of 2^Mn generated [{Mn(H₂O)₄}(H1)] (4'^Mn) as the final product, in which [H1]^2- anions are connected to cis-[Mn(H₂O)₄]²⁺ cations through coordination bonds in a very dense framework with a porosity ca. 5% by way of [Mn(H₂O)₆]₂[{Mn(H₂O)₄}(1)₂] (3^Mn), which is isostructural with 3^Ni. While all the compounds adsorbed H₂O and CO₂ depending on the degree of their porosity, unusually large NH₃ adsorption capacities were observed for 4^Ni and 4'^Mn, which have dense frameworks.

High-Pressure Synthesis and Magnetic States of Magnetoplumbite Cobaltates CaCo12O19 and BaCo12O19

Novel cobalt oxides, CaCo₁₂O₁₉ and BaCo₁₂O₁₉, have been synthesized under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions of 7 GPa and 1373 K, respectively. Rietveld refinement using synchrotron X-ray diffraction data indicates that the CaCo₁₂O₁₉ and BaCo₁₂O₁₉ crystallize in a magnetoplumbite structure with a hexagonal space group of P6₃/mmc (No. 194) as well as SrCo₁₂O₁₉. The magnetic study demonstrates that itinerant and localized 3d electrons coexist in all ACo₁₂O₁₉ (A = Ca, Sr, Ba) and the magnetic ground state transforms from antiferromagnetic (A = Ca) to ferrimagnetic (A = Sr) to antiferromagnetic (A = Ba), which is in stark contrast to the systematic change in the magnetoplumbite-related cobalt oxides of ACo₆O₁₁ from antiferromagnet (A = Ca) to ferrimagnet (A = Sr) to ferromagnet (A = Ba). The nonmonotonic magnetic evolution with isoelectronic A-site substitution in ACo₁₂O₁₉ is probably attributed to changes in the interactions between two magnetic sublattices of localized 3d electrons at trigonal-bipyramidal and tetrahedral sites for ACo₁₂O₁₉. This finding proposes the complex magnetic properties in the layered cobalt oxides with multiple magnetic sublattices in the coexistence system of itinerant and localized electrons.

Observing and Modeling the Sequential Pairwise Reactions that Drive Solid-State Ceramic Synthesis

Solid-state synthesis from powder precursors is the primary processing route to advanced multicomponent ceramic materials. Designing reaction conditions and precursors for ceramic synthesis can be a laborious, trial-and-error process, as heterogeneous mixtures of precursors often evolve through a complicated series of reaction intermediates. Here, ab initio thermodynamics is used to model which pair of precursors has the most reactive interface, enabling the understanding and anticipation of which non-equilibrium intermediates form in the early stages of a solid-state reaction. In situ X-ray diffraction and in situ electron microscopy are then used to observe how these initial intermediates influence phase evolution in the synthesis of the classic high-temperature superconductor YBa₂ Cu₃ O_{6+ x}   (YBCO). The model developed herein rationalizes how the replacement of the traditional BaCO₃ precursor with BaO₂ redirects phase evolution through a low-temperature eutectic melt, facilitating the formation of YBCO in 30 min instead of 12+ h. Precursor selection plays an important role in tuning the thermodynamics of interfacial reactions and emerges as an important design parameter in planning kinetically favorable synthesis pathways to complex ceramic materials.

Formation Mechanism of β-Li3PS4 through Decomposition of Complexes

β-Li₃PS₄ is a solid electrolyte with high Li⁺ conductivity, applicable to sulfide-based all-solid-state batteries. While a β-Li₃PS₄-synthesized by solid-state reaction forms only in a narrow 300-450 °C temperature range upon heating, β-Li₃PS₄ is readily available by liquid-phase synthesis through low-temperature thermal decomposition of complexes composed of PS₄^3- and various organic solvents. However, the conversion mechanism of β-Li₃PS₄ from these complexes is not yet understood. Herein, we proposed the synthesis mechanism of β-Li₃PS₄ from Li₃PS₄·acetonitrile (Li₃PS₄·ACN) and Li₃PS₄·1,2-dimethoxyethane (Li₃PS₄·DME), whose structural similarity with β-Li₃PS₄ would reduce the nucleation barrier for the formation of β-Li₃PS₄. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction clarified that both complexes possess similar layered structures consisting of alternating Li₂PS₄^- and Li⁺-ACN/DME layers. ACN/DME was removed from these complexes upon heating, and rotation of the PS₄ tetrahedra induced a uniaxial compression to form the β-Li₃PS₄ framework.

Metamagnetic Behavior in a Quadruple Perovskite Oxide

A cubic quadruple perovskite oxide CeMn₃Cr₄O₁₂ has been synthesized under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions of 8 GPa and 1273 K. The X-ray absorption spectroscopy reveals that the Ce ions are in a trivalent state, as represented by the ionic model of Ce³⁺Mn³⁺₃Cr³⁺₄O₁₂. The magnetic study demonstrates three independent antiferromagnetic transitions attributed to Ce (∼10 K), Mn (46 K), and Cr (133 K) ions. Furthermore, a magnetic field-induced antiferromagnetic-to-ferromagnetic (metamagnetic) transition of Ce³⁺ 4f moments is observed at low temperatures below 20 K, exhibiting a rare example of metamagnetism in the Ce³⁺-oxides. This finding represents that the 3d-electron magnetic sublattices play a role in the metamagnetism of 4f-electron magnetic moments, demonstrating a new aspect of the 3d-4f complex electron systems.