Engineering topics

Dronskowski, Richard

Publications and source records attributed to Dronskowski, Richard.

25 records · Page 2

DOE OSTI2016

Transition-Metal Carbodiimides as Molecular Negative Electrode Materials for Lithium- and Sodium-Ion Batteries with Excellent Cycling Properties

Here we report evidence for the electrochemical activity of transition-metal carbodiimides versus lithium and sodium. In particular, iron carbodiimide, FeNCN, can be efficiently used as a negative electrode material for alkali-metal-ion batteries, similar to its oxide analogue FeO. Based on 57 Fe M ssbauer and infrared spectroscopy (IR) data, the electrochemical reaction mechanism can be explained by the reversible transformation of the Fe NCN into Li/Na NCN bonds during discharge and charge. These new electrode materials exhibit higher capacity compared to well-established negative electrode references such as graphite or hard carbon. Contrary to its oxide analogue, iron carbodiimide does not require heavy treatments (nanoscale tailoring, sophisticated textures, coating etc.) to obtain long cycle life with density current as high as 9 A/g -1 for hundreds of charge/discharge cycles. Similar to the iron compound, several other transition-metal carbodiimides M x (NCN) y with M = Mn, Cr, Zn can cycle successfully versus lithium and sodium. Ultimately, their electrochemical activity and performances open the way to the design of a novel family of anode materials.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

DOE OSTI2015

Synthesis and crystal structure of Ba{sub 26}B{sub 12}Si{sub 5}N{sub 27} containing [Si{sub 2}] dumbbells

Black, metallic luster, platelet single crystals of Ba{sub 26}B{sub 12}Si{sub 5}N{sub 27} were grown on a BN crucible wall by slowly cooling from 900 °C to 27 °C. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that Ba{sub 26}B{sub 12}Si{sub 5}N{sub 27} crystallizes in an orthorhombic cell (a=17.6942(4) Å, b=34.1437(6) Å, c=10.0410(2) Å; space group Fdd2). Isolated nitridoborate anionic groups [BN{sub 2}]{sup 3–}, dumbbell-type Zintl polyanions [Si{sub 2}]{sup 2.8–}, and nitride anions N{sup 3–} are included in the structure. The structural formula is represented as (Ba{sup 2+}){sub 26}([BN{sub 2}]{sup 3–}){sub 12}[([Si{sub 2}]{sup 2.8–}){sub 1.25}(N{sup 3–}){sub 2×0.75}]{sub 2}. The [Si{sub 2}]{sup 2.8–} dumbbell with a Si–Si length of 2.177(5) Å has a bond order of 2.6, which is close to the triple bond of Si. - Graphical abstract: Single crystals of Ba{sub 26}B{sub 12}Si{sub 5}N{sub 27} grown by slow cooling from 900 °C have an orthorhombic crystal structure with space group Fdd2, containing nitridoborate anionic groups [BN{sub 2}]{sup 3–}, dumbbell-type Zintl polyanions [Si{sub 2}]{sup 2.8–}, and nitride anions N{sup 3–}. - Highlights: • A novel compound, Ba{sub 26}B{sub 12}Si{sub 5}N{sub 27}, was synthesized by slow cooling from 900 °C. • Single crystal X-ray diffraction clarified a new crystal structure. • Anionic groups [BN{sub 2}]{sup 3–} and dumbbell-type Zintl polyanions [Si{sub 2}]{sup 2.8–} are contained. • The [Si{sub 2}]{sup 2.8–} dumbbell has a bond order of 2.6, which is close to the triple bond.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2015

A Rietveld refinement method for angular- and wavelength-dispersive neutron time-of-flight powder diffraction data

This paper introduces a two-dimensional extension of the well established Rietveld refinement method for modeling neutron time-of-flight powder diffraction data. The novel approach takes into account the variation of two parameters, diffraction angle 2θ and wavelength λ, to optimally adapt to the varying resolution function in diffraction experiments. By doing so, the refinement against angular- and wavelength-dispersive data gets rid of common data-reduction steps and also avoids the loss of high-resolution information typically introduced by integration. In a case study using a numerically simulated diffraction pattern of Rh 0.81 Fe 3.19 N taking into account the layout of the future POWTEX instrument, the profile function as parameterized in 2θ and λ is extracted. As a proof-of-concept, the resulting instrument parameterization is then utilized to perform a typical refinement of the angular- and wavelength-dispersive diffraction pattern of CuNCN, yielding excellent residuals within feasible computational efforts. Another proof-of-concept is carried out by applying the same approach to a real neutron diffraction data set of CuNCN obtained from the POWGEN instrument at the Spallation Neutron Source in Oak Ridge. The paper highlights the general importance of the novel approach for data analysis at neutron time-of-flight diffractometers and its possible inclusion within existing Rietveld software packages.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2014

Ab initio study of molecular and atomic oxygen on GeTe(111) surfaces

Oxidation of the phase-change material germanium telluride (GeTe) is an atomic-scale process of fundamental importance, as it is detrimental to the stability of GeTe-based data-storage devices. Here, we present comprehensive density-functional theory simulations of molecular and atomic oxygen in contact with GeTe(111) surfaces. Molecular O{sub 2} is predicted to readily adsorb on the Ge-terminated (111) surface; the pristine Te-terminated counterpart, by contrast, appears quite inert. The coverage-dependent adsorption of O atoms is then investigated, and based on these data, a surface phase diagram for GeTe(111)/O is constructed. These results afford a detailed, atom-resolved picture of the initial surface oxidation of GeTe, and they harmonize well with a previous X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study on this very topic.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

DOE OSTI2013

High-resolution neutron diffraction study of CuNCN: New evidence of structure anomalies at low temperature

Copper carbodiimide (CuNCN) is the nitrogen-containing analogue of cupric oxide. Based on high-resolution neutron-diffraction data, CuNCN's lattice parameters are derived as a function of the temperature. In accordance with a recent synchrotron study, a clear trend in the cell parameter a is observed accompanying the changing magnetic behavior. With decreasing temperature, a slowly decreases to a minimum at ∼100 K after which it rises again. The same trend—albeit more pronounced—is observed for the c lattice parameter at ∼35 K. The herein presented neutron powder-diffraction data also support the conjectured sequence of transitions from the high-temperature one-dimensional resonating valence-bond (RVB) state to a transient two-dimensional RVB state and eventually, at lowest temperatures, into another two-dimensional RVB state, presumably the ground state.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2013

Synthesis and single-crystal structure determination of the zinc nitride halides Zn{sub 2}NX (X=Cl, Br, I)

A series of zinc nitride halides, Zn{sub 2}NX (X=Cl, Br, I), has been synthesized from solid–liquid reactions of zinc nitride with the respective zinc halides under vacuum, and their crystal structures were determined using single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction. While Zn{sub 2}NCl and Zn{sub 2}NBr crystallize in the acentric orthorhombic space group Pna2{sub 1}, Zn{sub 2}NI adopts the centrosymmetric space group Pnma; Zn{sub 2}NCl and Zn{sub 2}NBr can be considered to belong to the anti-β-NaFeO{sub 2} type, and Zn{sub 2}NI is closely related. Each N{sup 3−} is tetrahedrally coordinated by zinc atoms, and the X{sup −} anions are located in the vacancies of the framework formed by corner-sharing [NZn{sub 4}] tetrahedra. According to TGA/DTA analyses, the Zn{sub 2}NX compounds exhibit good thermal stability. The electronic structure has been analyzed by employing density-functional theory and the HSE06 hybrid functional. - Graphical abstract: Zn{sub 2}NCl, Zn{sub 2}NBr, and Zn{sub 2}NI have been synthesized, and their crystal structures (Cl and Br phases: Pna2{sub 1}; I phase: Pnma) have been determined from XRD; the direct band gap of Zn{sub 2}NCl is theoretically (HSE06 hybrid functional) predicted as 3.7 eV. - Highlights: • Zn{sub 2}NCl, Zn{sub 2}NBr, and Zn{sub 2}NI have been synthesized from solid–liquid reactions. • The crystal structures of Zn{sub 2}NCl, Zn{sub 2}NBr, and Zn{sub 2}NI have been determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction. • Zn{sub 2}NCl and Zn{sub 2}NBr crystallize in the acentric space group Pna2{sub 1} whereas Zn{sub 2}NI adopts the centrosymmetric space group Pnma. • Zn{sub 2}NCl and Zn{sub 2}NBr are stable up to 750 °C whereas Zn{sub 2}NI decays at 600 °C already. • The direct band gap of Zn{sub 2}NCl is theoretically predicted as 3.7 eV using the HSE06 hybrid functional.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

DOE OSTI2013

The magnetic structure of Co(NCNH)₂ as determined by (spin-polarized) neutron diffraction

The magnetic structure of Co(NCNH)₂ has been studied by neutron diffraction data below 10 K using the SPODI and DNS instruments at FRM II, Munich. There is an intensity change in the (1 1 0) and (0 2 0) reflections around 4 K, to be attributed to the onset of a magnetic ordering of the Co²⁺ spins. Four different spin orientations have been evaluated on the basis of Rietveld refinements, comprising antiferromagnetic as well as ferromagnetic ordering along all three crystallographic axes. Both residual values and supplementary susceptibility measurements evidence that only a ferromagnetic ordering with all Co²⁺ spins parallel to the c axis is a suitable description of the low-temperature magnetic ground state of Co(NCNH)₂. The deviation of the magnetic moment derived by the Rietveld refinement from the expectancy value may be explained either by an incomplete saturation of the moment at temperatures slightly below the Curie temperature or by a small Jahn–Teller distortion. - Graphical abstract: The magnetic ground state of Co(NCNH)₂ has been clarified by (spin-polarized) neutron diffraction data at low temperatures. Intensity changes below 4 K arise due to the onset of ferromagnetic ordering of the Co²⁺ spins parallel to the c axis, corroborated by various (magnetic) Rietveld refinements. Highlights: • Powderous Co(NCNH)₂ has been subjected to (spin-polarized) neutron diffraction. • Magnetic susceptibility data of Co(NCNH)₂ have been collected. • Below 4 K, the magnetic moments align ferromagnetically with all Co²⁺ spins parallel to the c axis. • The magnetic susceptibility data yield an effective magnetic moment of 4.68 and a Weiss constant of -13(2) K. • The ferromagnetic Rietveld refinement leads to a magnetic moment of 2.6 which is close to the expectancy value of 3.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗