Ising pyrochlore magnets: Low-temperature properties, "ice rules," and beyond

Pyrochlore magnets are candidates for what Harris et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 79, 2554 (1997)] call "spin-ice" behavior. We present theoretical simulations of relevance for the pyrochlore family R2Ti2O7 (R = rare earth) supported by magnetothermal measurements on selected systems. Ey considering long-ranged dipole-dipole as well as short-ranged superexchange interactions, we get three distinct behaviors: (i) an ordered doubly degenerate state, (ii) a highly disordered state with a broad transition to paramagnetism, and (iii) a partially ordered state with a sharp transition to paramagnetism. Closely corresponding behavior is seen in the real compounds.

Low temperature fabrication and impedance spectroscopy of PMN-PT ceramics

Single phase perovskite 0.9Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3-0.1(PbTiO3) ceramics were prepared using the columbite precursor method after optimizing the synthesis conditions. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies were carried out to verify the phase formation at each processing step. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to observe the microstructure of the sintered ceramics. Impedance and modulus spectroscopic data were used to gain an insight into the electrical properties of the samples and with a view to observing the relaxations in them. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Embrittlement of a bulk metallic glass due to low-temperature annealing

Embrittlement of a bulk La-based metallic glass due to isothermal and isochronal annealing below the T-g was investigated. Results show that the impact toughness decreases with increasing annealing time or temperature, accompanied by a change in fracture morphology. Reasons for this are discussed in terms of structural relaxation. (C) 2002 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of LiCo1-xNixO2 from a low temperature solution combustion route and characterization

Nickel substituted lithium-cobalt oxides, LiCo1-xNixO2 (0 < x < 0.4), have been synthesized in a very short time by a solution combustion method at 350 degreesC using diformyl hydrazine as a fuel. Pure phases with hexagonal lattice structure have been obtained. These compounds facilitate reversible insertion/extraction of Li+ ions with good discharge capacity between 3.0 and 4.4 V versus Li/Li+. Results of the studies by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge cycling and ac impedance measurements are presented. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Low temperature synthesis of ferromagnetic (LaK)MnO3 from KCl, KBr and KI fluxes

Potassium doped lanthanum manganites have been synthesized from KCl, KBr and KI fluxes at 900, 850 and 750 °C respectively. While all the flux-grown oxides are ferromagnetic metals (Tc=290–330 K), the oxides grown from KCl and KBr fluxes crystallize in the rhombohedral structure and that synthesized from KI flux adopts the cubic structure. The enhancement in Tc correlates with the increasing tendency of the flux to get oxidized and decreasing melting points of the flux. Nearly stoichiometric (LaK)MnO3 with 33 % of Mn4+ concentration could be prepared at temperature as low as 750 °C. Composition of all the phases have been obtained from the chemical analysis of the elements present.

Epitaxial Growth of Co3O4 Films by Low Temperature, Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition

The growth of strongly oriented or epitaxial thin films of metal oxides generally requires relatively high growth temperatures or infusion of energy to the growth surface through means such as ion bombardment. We have grown high quality epitaxial thin films of Co3O4 on different substrates at a temperature as low as 450°C by low-pressure metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) using cobalt(II) acetylacetonate as the precursor. With oxygen as the reactant gas, polycrystalline Co3O4 films are formed on glass and Si(100) in the temperature range 350-550°C. Under similar conditions of growth, highly oriented films of Co3O4 are formed on SrTiO3(100) and LaAlO3(100). The film on LaAlO3(100) grown at 450°C show a rocking curve FWHM of 1.61°, which reduces to 1.32° when it is annealed in oxygen at 725°C. The film on SrTiO3(100) has a FWHM of 0.330 (as deposited) and 0.29° (after annealing at 725°C). The ø-scan analysis shows cube-on-cube epitaxy on both these substrates. The quality of epitaxy on SrTiO3(100) is comparable to the best of the pervoskite-based oxide thin films grown at significantly higher temperatures.

Low temperature crystallographic data on Kevlar 49 fibres

Using X-ray diffraction data, the behaviour of Kevlar 49 fibres at low temperatures, up to -100degreesC, has been analysed. During cooling, the basal plane of the monoclinic unit cell shrinks whereas the c- (unique, chain axis) length is not significantly affected. In contrast, in the return heating cycle to ambient temperature, the basal plane expands and contraction occurs along the chain direction. The unit cell registers a reduction in volume in both the cooling and heating cycles. Conspicuously, after a cycle of cooling and heating, the unit cell does not return to its initial volume. (C) 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Low temperature synthesis, structure and properties of alkali-doped La2NiO4, LaNiO3 and LaNi0.85Cu0.15O3 from alkali hydroxide fluxes

We report a low-temperature synthesis of La1.95Na0.05NiO4 from NaOH flux, La0.97K0.03NiO3 and La0.95K0.05Ni0.85Cu0.15O3 phases from KOH flux at 400 degreesC. Alkali-doped LaNiO3 can be prepared in KOH, but not in NaOH flux and La2NiO4 can be prepared in NaOH, but not in KOH flux. The flux-grown oxides were characterized by powder X-ray Rietveld profile analysis and electron microscopy. Sodium doped La2NiO4 crystallizes in orthorhombic structure and potassium doped LaNiO3-phases crystallizes in rhombohedral structure. La1.95Na0.05NiO4 is weakly paramagnetic and semiconducting while La0.97K0.03NiO3 and La0.95K0.05Ni0.85Cu0.15O3 show Pauli paramagnetic and metallic behavior. (C) 2002 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Low-temperature polaronic relaxations with variable range hopping conductivity in FeTiMO(6) (M = Ta,Nb,Sb)

Low-temperature dielectric measurements on FeTiMO(6) (M = Ta,Nb,Sb) rutile-type oxides at frequencies from 0.1 Hz to 10 MHz revealed anomalous dielectric relaxations with frequency dispersion. Unlike the high-temperature relaxor response of these materials, the low-temperature relaxations are polaronic in nature. The relationship between frequency and temperature of dielectric loss peak follows T(-1/4) behavior. The frequency dependence of ac conductivity shows the well-known universal dielectric response, while the dc conductivity follows Mott variable range hopping (VRH) behavior, confirming the polaronic origin of the observed dielectric relaxations. The frequency domain analysis of the dielectric spectra shows evidence for two relaxations, with the high-frequency relaxations following Mott VRH behavior more closely. Significantly, the Cr- and Ga-based analogs, CrTiNbO(6) and GaTiMO(6) (M = Ta,Nb), that were also studied, did not show these anomalies.

Carbon based materials for low temperature detection

Resistance temperature detectors (RTDs) are being widely used to detect low temperature, while thermocouples (TCs) are being used to detect high temperature. The materials suitable for RTDs are platinum, germanium, carbon, carbon-glass, cernox, etc. Here, we have reported the possible application of another form of carbon i.e. carbon nanotubes in low temperature thermometry. It has been shown the resistance R and the sensitivity of carbon nanotube bundles can be tuned and made suitable for ultralow temperature detection. We report on the R-T measurement of carbon nanotube bundles from room temperature down to 1 K to felicitate the possible application of bundles in low temperature RTDs. ©2008 American Institute of Physics

Conformation-Changing Aggregation in Hydroxyacetone: A Combined Low-Temperature FTIR, Jet, and Crystallographic Study

Aggregation in hydroxyacetone (HA) is studied using low-temperature FTIR, supersonic jet expansion, and X-ray crystallographic (in situ cryocrystallization) techniques. Along with quantum chemical methods (MP2 and DFT), the experiments unravel the conformational preferences of HA upon aggregation to dinners and oligomers. The O-H center dot center dot center dot O=C intramolecular hydrogen bond present in the gas-phase monomer partially opens upon aggregation in supersonic expansions, giving rise to intermolecular cooperatively enhanced O-H center dot center dot center dot O-H hydrogen bonds in competition with isolated O-H center dot center dot center dot O=C hydrogen bonds. On the other hand, low-temperature IR studies on the neat solid and X-ray crystallographic data reveal that HA undergoes profound conformational changes upon crystallization, with the HOCC dihedral angle changing from similar to 0 degrees in the gas phase to similar to 180 degrees in the crystalline phase, hence giving rise to a completely new conformation. These conclusions are supported by theoretical calculations performed on the geometry derived from the crystalline phase.

Low temperature synthesis of layered NaxCoO2 and KxCoO2 from NaOH/KOH fluxes and their ion exchange properties

We report a low temperature synthesis of layered Na0×20CoO2 and K0×44CoO2 phases from NaOH and KOH fluxes at 400°C. These layered oxides are employed to prepare hexagonal HCoO2, LixCoO2 and Delafossite AgCoO2 phases by ion exchange method. The resulting oxides were characterised by powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, SEM and EDX analysis. Final compositions of all these oxides are obtained from chemical analysis of elements present. Na0×20CoO2 oxide exhibits insulating to metal like behaviour, whereas AgCoO2 is semiconducting.