Atomic-Scale Imaging of Cation Ordering in Inverse
Spinel Zn<sub>2</sub>SnO<sub>4</sub> Nanowires
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Abstract
By using high-angle annular dark-field
scanning transmission electron
microscopy (HAADF-STEM) coupled with density functional theory (DFT)
calculations, we demonstrate the atomic-level imaging of cation ordering
in inverse spinel Zn<sub>2</sub>SnO<sub>4</sub> nanowires. This cation
ordering was identified as 1:1 ordering of Zn<sup>2+</sup> and Sn<sup>4+</sup> at the octahedral sites of the inverse spinel crystal with
microscopic symmetry transition from original cubic <i>Fd</i>3Μ
<i>m</i> to orthorhombic <i>Imma</i> group.
This ordering generated a 67.8% increase in the elastic modulus and
1β2 order of magnitude lower in the electric conductivity and
electron mobility compared to their bulk counterpart