First-principles study on the intermediate compounds of LiBH4_4

We report the results of the first-principles calculation on the intermediate compounds of LiBH$_4$. The stability of LiB$_3$H$_8$ and Li$_2$B$_n$H$_n (n=5-12)$ has been examined with the ultrasoft pseudopotential method based on the density functional theory. Theoretical prediction has suggested that monoclinic Li$_2$B$_{12}$H$_{12}$ is the most stable among the candidate materials. We propose the following hydriding/dehydriding process of LiBH$_4$ via this intermediate compound : LiBH$_4 \leftrightarrow {1/12}$Li$_{2}$B$_{12}$H$_{12} + {5/6}$ LiH $+ {13/12}$H$_2 \leftrightarrow$LiH $+$ B $+ {3/2}$H$_2$. The hydrogen content and enthalpy of the first reaction are estimated to be 10 mass% and 56 kJ/mol H$_2$, respectively, and those of the second reaction are 4 mass% and 125 kJ/mol H$_2$. They are in good agreement with experimental results of the thermal desorption spectra of LiBH$_4$. Our calculation has predicted that the bending modes for the $\Gamma$-phonon frequencies of monoclinic Li$_2$B$_{12}$H$_{12}$ are lower than that of LiBH$_4$, while stretching modes are higher. These results are very useful for the experimental search and identification of possible intermediate compounds.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PR

Development of complex hydrides for fast ionic conduction

Complex hydrides have been attracting much attention as solid-state fast ionic conductors since we reported the fast lithium ionic conduction in LiBH4 [1]. The development of fast ionic conductors is important because of their potential applications as solid electrolytes in rechargeable batteries [2]. We have worked on the development of lithium ionic conductors as well as sodium ionic conductors of complex hydrides. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Topological Data Analysis of Ion Migration Mechanism

Topological data analysis based on persistent homology has been applied to the molecular dynamics simulation for the fast ion-conducting phase ($\alpha$-phase) of AgI, to show its effectiveness on the ion-migration mechanism analysis.Time-averaged persistence diagrams of $\alpha$-AgI, which quantitatively records the shape and size of the ring structures in the given atomic configurations, clearly showed the emergence of the four-membered rings formed by two Ag and two I ions at high temperatures. They were identified as common structures during the Ag ion migration. The averaged potential energy change due to the deformation of four-membered ring during Ag migration agrees well with the activation energy calculated from the conductivity Arrhenius plot. The concerted motion of two Ag ions via the four-membered ring was also successfully extracted from molecular dynamics simulations by our approach, providing the new insight into the specific mechanism of the concerted motion.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

Magnetic Phase Transition of MnBi under High Magnetic Fields and High Temperature

Magnetization measurements and differential thermal analysis (DTA) of polycrystalline MnBi were carried out in magnetic fields up to 14 T and in 300-773 K, in order to investigate the magnetic phase transition. The magnetic phase transition temperature (T t ) at a zero magnetic field is 628 K and linearly increases with increasing fields up to 14 T at the rate of 2 KT À1 . A metamagnetic transition between the paramagnetic and field-induced ferromagnetic states was observed just above T t . The exothermic and endothermic peaks were detected in the magnetic field dependence of DTA signals in 626-623 K, which relates to the metamagnetic transition. The obtained results were discussed on the basis of a mean field theory

NMR Studies of Lithium Diffusion in Li3(NH2)2I over Wide Range of Li+ Jump Rates

We have studied the Li diffusion in the complex hydride Li3(NH2)2I which appears to exhibit fast Li ion conduction. To get a detailed insight into the Li motion, we have applied 7Li nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy methods, such as spin-lattice relaxation in the laboratory and rotating frames of reference, as well as spin-alignment echo. This combined approach allows us to probe Li jump rates over the wide dynamic range (~102–109 s−1). The spin-lattice relaxation data in the range 210–410 K can be interpreted in terms of a thermally-activated Li jump process with a certain distribution of activation energies. However, the low-temperature spin-alignment echo decays at T≤200 K suggest the presence of another Li jump process with the very low effective activation energy. © 2017 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston 2017

Colossal reversible barocaloric effects in a plastic crystal mediated by lattice vibrations and ion diffusion

Solid-state methods for cooling and heating promise a more sustainable alternative to current compression cycles of greenhouse gases and inefficient fuel-burning heaters. Barocaloric effects (BCE) driven by hydrostatic pressure ($p$) are especially encouraging in terms of large adiabatic temperature changes ($|\Delta T| \sim 10$ K) and colossal isothermal entropy changes ($|\Delta S| \sim 100$ JK$^{-1}$kg$^{-1}$). However, BCE typically require large pressure shifts due to irreversibility issues, and sizeable $|\Delta T|$ and $|\Delta S|$ seldom are realized in a same material. Here, we demonstrate the existence of colossal and reversible BCE in LiCB$_{11}$H$_{12}$, a well-known solid electrolyte, near its order-disorder phase transition at $\approx 380$ K. Specifically, for $\Delta p \approx 0.23$ $(0.10)$ GPa we measured $|\Delta S_{\rm rev}| = 280$ $(200)$ JK$^{-1}$kg$^{-1}$ and $|\Delta T_{\rm rev}| = 32$ $(10)$ K, which individually rival with state-of-the-art barocaloric shifts obtained under similar pressure conditions. Furthermore, over a wide temperature range, pressure shifts of the order of $0.1$ GPa yield huge reversible barocaloric strengths of $\approx 2$ JK$^{-1}$kg$^{-1}$MPa$^{-1}$. Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out to quantify the role of lattice vibrations, molecular reorientations and ion diffusion on the disclosed colossal BCE. Interestingly, lattice vibrations were found to contribute the most to $|\Delta S|$ while the diffusion of lithium ions, despite adding up only slightly to the accompanying entropy change, was crucial in enabling the molecular order-disorder phase transition. Our work expands the knowledge on plastic crystals and should motivate the investigation of BCE in a variety of solid electrolytes displaying ion diffusion and concomitant molecular orientational disorder.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figure