Hidden diversity of vacancy networks in Prussian blue analogues

Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) are a diverse family of microporous inorganic solids, known for their gas storage ability1, metal-ion immobilization2, proton conduction3, and stimuli-dependent magnetic4,5, electronic6 and optical7 properties. This family of materials includes the double-metal cyanide...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Simonov, A, De Baerdemaeker, T, Boström, HLB, Ríos Gómez, ML, Gray, HJ, Chernyshov, D, Bosak, A, Bürgi, H-B, Goodwin, AL
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: Springer Nature 2020
_version_ 1826257467030372352
author Simonov, A
De Baerdemaeker, T
Boström, HLB
Ríos Gómez, ML
Gray, HJ
Chernyshov, D
Bosak, A
Bürgi, H-B
Goodwin, AL
author_facet Simonov, A
De Baerdemaeker, T
Boström, HLB
Ríos Gómez, ML
Gray, HJ
Chernyshov, D
Bosak, A
Bürgi, H-B
Goodwin, AL
author_sort Simonov, A
collection OXFORD
description Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) are a diverse family of microporous inorganic solids, known for their gas storage ability1, metal-ion immobilization2, proton conduction3, and stimuli-dependent magnetic4,5, electronic6 and optical7 properties. This family of materials includes the double-metal cyanide catalysts8,9 and the hexacyanoferrate/hexacyanomanganate battery materials10,11. Central to the various physical properties of PBAs is their ability to reversibly transport mass, a process enabled by structural vacancies. Conventionally presumed to be random12,13, vacancy arrangements are crucial because they control micropore-network characteristics, and hence the diffusivity and adsorption profiles14,15. The long-standing obstacle to characterizing the vacancy networks of PBAs is the inaccessibility of single crystals16. Here we report the growth of single crystals of various PBAs and the measurement and interpretation of their X-ray diffuse scattering patterns. We identify a diversity of non-random vacancy arrangements that is hidden from conventional crystallographic powder analysis. Moreover, we explain this unexpected phase complexity in terms of a simple microscopic model that is based on local rules of electroneutrality and centrosymmetry. The hidden phase boundaries that emerge demarcate vacancy-network polymorphs with very different micropore characteristics. Our results establish a foundation for correlated defect engineering in PBAs as a means of controlling storage capacity, anisotropy and transport efficiency.
first_indexed 2024-03-06T18:18:40Z
format Journal article
id oxford-uuid:0584812a-49c0-4779-97b1-096f9ac89192
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-06T18:18:40Z
publishDate 2020
publisher Springer Nature
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:0584812a-49c0-4779-97b1-096f9ac891922022-03-26T08:57:38ZHidden diversity of vacancy networks in Prussian blue analoguesJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:0584812a-49c0-4779-97b1-096f9ac89192EnglishSymplectic ElementsSpringer Nature2020Simonov, ADe Baerdemaeker, TBoström, HLBRíos Gómez, MLGray, HJChernyshov, DBosak, ABürgi, H-BGoodwin, ALPrussian blue analogues (PBAs) are a diverse family of microporous inorganic solids, known for their gas storage ability1, metal-ion immobilization2, proton conduction3, and stimuli-dependent magnetic4,5, electronic6 and optical7 properties. This family of materials includes the double-metal cyanide catalysts8,9 and the hexacyanoferrate/hexacyanomanganate battery materials10,11. Central to the various physical properties of PBAs is their ability to reversibly transport mass, a process enabled by structural vacancies. Conventionally presumed to be random12,13, vacancy arrangements are crucial because they control micropore-network characteristics, and hence the diffusivity and adsorption profiles14,15. The long-standing obstacle to characterizing the vacancy networks of PBAs is the inaccessibility of single crystals16. Here we report the growth of single crystals of various PBAs and the measurement and interpretation of their X-ray diffuse scattering patterns. We identify a diversity of non-random vacancy arrangements that is hidden from conventional crystallographic powder analysis. Moreover, we explain this unexpected phase complexity in terms of a simple microscopic model that is based on local rules of electroneutrality and centrosymmetry. The hidden phase boundaries that emerge demarcate vacancy-network polymorphs with very different micropore characteristics. Our results establish a foundation for correlated defect engineering in PBAs as a means of controlling storage capacity, anisotropy and transport efficiency.
spellingShingle Simonov, A
De Baerdemaeker, T
Boström, HLB
Ríos Gómez, ML
Gray, HJ
Chernyshov, D
Bosak, A
Bürgi, H-B
Goodwin, AL
Hidden diversity of vacancy networks in Prussian blue analogues
title Hidden diversity of vacancy networks in Prussian blue analogues
title_full Hidden diversity of vacancy networks in Prussian blue analogues
title_fullStr Hidden diversity of vacancy networks in Prussian blue analogues
title_full_unstemmed Hidden diversity of vacancy networks in Prussian blue analogues
title_short Hidden diversity of vacancy networks in Prussian blue analogues
title_sort hidden diversity of vacancy networks in prussian blue analogues
work_keys_str_mv AT simonova hiddendiversityofvacancynetworksinprussianblueanalogues
AT debaerdemaekert hiddendiversityofvacancynetworksinprussianblueanalogues
AT bostromhlb hiddendiversityofvacancynetworksinprussianblueanalogues
AT riosgomezml hiddendiversityofvacancynetworksinprussianblueanalogues
AT grayhj hiddendiversityofvacancynetworksinprussianblueanalogues
AT chernyshovd hiddendiversityofvacancynetworksinprussianblueanalogues
AT bosaka hiddendiversityofvacancynetworksinprussianblueanalogues
AT burgihb hiddendiversityofvacancynetworksinprussianblueanalogues
AT goodwinal hiddendiversityofvacancynetworksinprussianblueanalogues