The gram-scale preparation of Fe2(WO4)3 by a new solution-based route and detailed characterization of the material are presented. The resulting Fe2(WO4)3 undergoes a reversible electrochemical reaction against lithium centered around 3.0 V with capacities near 93% of the theoretical maximum. Evolution of the Fe2(WO4)3 structure upon lithium insertion and deinsertion is probed using a battery of characterization techniques, including in situ X-ray diffraction, neutron total scattering, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). A structural transformation from monoclinic to orthorhombic phases is confirmed during lithium intercalation. XAS and neutron total scattering measurements verify that Fe2(WO4)3 consists of trivalent iron and hexavalent tungsten ions. As lithium ions are inserted into the framework, iron ions are reduced to the divalent state, while the tungsten ions are electrochemically inactive and remain in the hexavalent state. Lithium insertion occurs via a concerted rotation of the rigid polyhedra in the host lattice driven by electrostatic interactions with the Li+ ions; the magnitude of these polyhedral rotations was found to be slightly larger for Fe2(WO4)3 than for the Fe2(MoO4)3 analog.Keywords: battery; intercalation; lithium ion; NASICON; tungstate;

Two-dimensional (2D) metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have received a great deal of attention due to their relatively high charge carrier mobility and low resistivity. Here we report on the temperature-dependent charge transport properties of a 2D cobalt 2,3,6,7,10,11-triphenylenehexathiolate framework. Variable temperature resistivity studies reveal a transition from a semiconducting to a metallic phase with decreasing temperature, which is unprecedented in MOFs. We find this transition to be highly dependent on the film thickness and the amount of solvent trapped in the pores, with density functional theory calculations of the electronic-structure supporting the complex metallic conductivity of the material. These results identify the first experimentally observed MOF that exhibits band-like metallic conductivity.

We report a study on the optical properties of the layered polymorph of vacancy-ordered triple perovskite Cs3Bi2Br9. The electronic structure, determined from density functional theory calculations, shows the top of the valence band and bottom of the conduction band minima are, unusually, dominated by Bi s and p states, respectively. This produces a sharp exciton peak in the absorption spectra with a binding energy that was approximated to be 940 meV, which is substantially stronger than values found in other halide perovskites and, instead, more closely reflects values seen in alkali halide crystals. This large binding energy is indicative of a strongly localized character and results in a highly structured emission at room temperature as the exciton couples to vibrations in the lattice.

Anti-NASICON Fe2(MoO4)3 (P21/c) shows significant structural and electrochemical differences in the intercalation of Li+ and Na+ ions. To understand the origin of this behavior, we have used a combination of in situ X-ray and high-resolution neutron diffraction, total scattering, electrochemical measurements, density functional theory calculations, and symmetry-mode analysis. We find that for Li+-intercalation, which proceeds via a two-phase monoclinic-to-orthorhombic (Pbcn) phase transition, the host lattice undergoes a concerted rotation of rigid polyhedral subunits driven by strong interactions with the Li+ ions, leading to an ordered lithium arrangement. Na+-intercalation, which proceeds via a two-stage solid solution insertion into the monoclinic structure, similarly produces rotations of the lattice polyhedral subunits. However, using a combination of total neutron scattering data and density functional theory calculations, we find that while these rotational distortions upon Na+-intercalation are fundamentally the same as for Li+-intercalation, they result in a far less coherent final structure, with this difference attributed to the substantial difference between the ionic radii of the two alkali metals.

The development of new frameworks for solid electrolytes exhibiting fast Li-ion diffusion is critical for enabling new energy storage technologies. Here, we present a combined experimental and computational investigation into the ionic conductivity of Li6Y(BO3)3, a new class of solid electrolytes with a pseudo-layered structure. Temperature-dependent impedance spectroscopy shows the pristine material exhibits an ionic conductivity of 2.2 × 10−3 S cm−1 around 400 °C, despite the fact that density functional theory calculations point to multiple remarkably low-energy diffusion pathways. Our calculations indicate small energy barriers for lithium interstitials to diffuse along one-dimensional channels oriented in the c-direction, and also for lithium vacancies diffusing within ac planes. This coexistence of diffusion mechanisms indicates that Li6Y(BO3)3 is an extremely versatile host for exploring and understanding mechanisms for lithium-ion conductivity. We also find no evidence for reactivity with moisture in the atmosphere and that the material appears electrochemically stable when in direct contact with metallic lithium. This robust stability, alongside ionic conductivity that can be manipulated through appropriate aliovalent substitution, make Li6Y(BO3)3 an exceptionally promising new class of solid electrolyte.

The effect of preparing lead-based organohalide perovskites under inert conditions has been investigated. We find that when prepared under anhydrous conditions, only poorly crystalline powders were obtained. On exposure to small amounts of moisture a rapid crystallization into the expected cubic unit cell for CH3NH3PbBr3 and tetragonal cell for CH3NH3PbI3 is observed. While the as-prepared iodide phase is non-emissive, the lifetime of the emission for the bromide is found to be much longer when prepared under atmospheric conditions.

Inspired by the promising ionic conductivities of the lithium conducting garnets, we present a comparative study on the influence of the ionic radius of M2+ on the 8-coordinate site and the crystal structure on the ionic transport in the solid solution Li6MLa2Ta2O12. Neutron diffraction and synchrotron diffraction in combination with AC impedance measurements are employed to understand the systematic substitution with different-sized alkaline earth cations M2+. As may be expected, the unit-cell parameters increase linearly with increasing ionic radius from Ca2+ over Sr2+ to Ba2+, accompanied by an increase in the polyhedral volumes of the dodecahedral, and tetrahedral positions and the ionic conductivities. While the TaO6 octahedral volume remain constant, the anisotropic thermal parameters of the coordinating oxygen anions suggest a high degree of rotational freedom with increasing unit-cell size. These structural parameters lead to lower activation energies because of broader Li conduction pathways and a higher flexibility in the crystal lattice, ultimately controlling the ionic conductivities in this class of materials.Keywords: activation energy; garnets; impedance spectrosopy; neutron diffraction; solid electrolytes; synchrotron diffraction

A single-step hydrothermal route to the preparation of the pyroxene mineral, NaFeSi2O6, is reported. The as-prepared samples are found to adopt a nanowire morphology and can be made with a yield of several hundred milligrams at a time with high purity. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and Mössbauer spectroscopy are employed to characterize the structure and morphology. A comparison of the temperature- and field-dependent magnetic properties between the nanowire and sintered phases shows substantial differences that can likely be attributed to the reduced particle size and increased number of spins on the surface of the nanowires.

The effect of preparing lead-based organohalide perovskites under inert conditions has been investigated. We find that when prepared under anhydrous conditions, only poorly crystalline powders were obtained. On exposure to small amounts of moisture a rapid crystallization into the expected cubic unit cell for CH3NH3PbBr3 and tetragonal cell for CH3NH3PbI3 is observed. While the as-prepared iodide phase is non-emissive, the lifetime of the emission for the bromide is found to be much longer when prepared under atmospheric conditions.

The development of new frameworks for solid electrolytes exhibiting fast Li-ion diffusion is critical for enabling new energy storage technologies. Here, we present a combined experimental and computational investigation into the ionic conductivity of Li6Y(BO3)3, a new class of solid electrolytes with a pseudo-layered structure. Temperature-dependent impedance spectroscopy shows the pristine material exhibits an ionic conductivity of 2.2 × 10−3 S cm−1 around 400 °C, despite the fact that density functional theory calculations point to multiple remarkably low-energy diffusion pathways. Our calculations indicate small energy barriers for lithium interstitials to diffuse along one-dimensional channels oriented in the c-direction, and also for lithium vacancies diffusing within ac planes. This coexistence of diffusion mechanisms indicates that Li6Y(BO3)3 is an extremely versatile host for exploring and understanding mechanisms for lithium-ion conductivity. We also find no evidence for reactivity with moisture in the atmosphere and that the material appears electrochemically stable when in direct contact with metallic lithium. This robust stability, alongside ionic conductivity that can be manipulated through appropriate aliovalent substitution, make Li6Y(BO3)3 an exceptionally promising new class of solid electrolyte.

The design of ligands that mediate through-bond long range super-exchange in metal–organic hybrid materials would expand chemical space beyond the commonly observed short range, low temperature magnetic ordering. Here we examine acetylene dicarboxylate as a potential ligand that could install long range magnetic ordering due to its spatially continuous frontier orbitals. Using a known Mn(II)-containing coordination polymer we compute and measure the electronic structure and magnetic ordering. In this case, the latter is weak owing to the sub-optimal ligand coordination geometry, with a critical temperature of 2.5 K.