Reduction of the bulk modulus at high pressure in CrN

Stress-Induced Martensitic Transformation in Na3YCl6

Martensitic transformation with volume expansion plays a crucial role in enhancing the mechanical properties of steel and partially stabilized zirconia. We believe that a similar concept could be applied to unexplored nonoxide materials. Herein, we report the stress-induced martensitic transformation of monoclinic Na3YCl6 with an ∼3.4% expansion. In situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and atomistic simulations showed that anisotropic crystallographic transformation from monoclinic to rhombohedral Na3YCl6 occurs exclusively under uniaxial pressure; no effect is observed under hydrostatic pressure conditions. The uniaxially pressed powder compact of monoclinic Na3YCl6 showed a large indentation impression and low Young's modulus, in contrast to its high bulk modulus, suggesting that these unique mechanical properties are induced by the martensitic transformation.

Soret-Effect Induced Phase-Change in a Chromium Nitride Semiconductor Film

Phase-change materials such as Ge-Sb-Te (GST) exhibiting amorphous and crystalline phases can be used for phase-change random-access memory (PCRAM). GST-based PCRAM has been applied as a storage-class memory; however, its relatively low ON/OFF ratio and the large Joule heating energy required for the RESET process (amorphization) significantly limit the storage density. This study proposes a phase-change nitride, CrN, with a much wider programming window (ON/OFF ratio more than 105) and lower RESET energy (one order of magnitude reduction from GST). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed a phase-change from the low-resistance cubic CrN phase into the highly resistive hexagonal CrN2 phase induced by the Soret-effect. The proposed phase-change nitride could greatly expand the scope of conventional phase-change chalcogenides and offer a strategy for the next-generation of PCRAM, enabling a large ON/OFF ratio (∼105), low switching energy (∼100 pJ), and fast operation (∼30 ns).

Demagnetizing Ferromagnetic Catalysts to the Sabatier Optimal of Haber-Bosch Process

Achieving the Sabatier optimal of a chemical reaction has been the central topic in heterogeneous catalysis for a century. However, this ultimate goal was greatly hindered in previous catalyst design strategies since the active sites indeed changed. Fortunately, the magneto-catalytic effect (MCE) provides a promising solution to this long-standing challenge. Recent research suggests that the performance of ferromagnetic catalysts is capable to be promoted without changing its chemical structure. Herein, we use time-dependent density functional perturbation theory (TDDFPT) calculations to elucidate that a partially demagnetized (DM) ferromagnet could be a Sabatier optimal catalyst. Using ammonia synthesis as the model reaction, we determined the activity of Cobalt at each DM state by including the magnetic thermal excitations via magnon analysis, making the 55% DM Co to the genuine Sabatier optimal. As an essential but underexcavated phenomenon in heterogeneous catalysis, the MCE will open a new avenue to design high-performance catalysts.

Growth of 2D Cr2 O3 -CrN Mosaic Heterostructures with Tunable Room-Temperature Ferromagnetism

2D magnets have generated much attention due to their potential for spintronic devices. Heterostructures of 2D magnets are interesting platforms for exploring physical phenomena and applications. However, the controlled growth of 2D room-temperature ferromagnetic heterostructures is challenging. Here, one-pot chemical vapor deposition growth of stable 2D Cr2 O3 -CrN mosaic heterostructures (MHs) is reported with a controlled ratio of components that possess robust room-temperature ferromagnetism. The 2D MHs consist of Cr2 O3 flakes with embedded CrN subdomains and the CrN:Cr2 O3 ratio can be tuned from 0% to 100% during growth. By changing the CrN:Cr2 O3 ratio, the ferromagnetism of the MHs (e.g., saturation magnetization, coercive field), which originates from the interfacial coupling between Cr2 O3 and CrN, can be controlled. Importantly, the obtained Cr2 O3 -CrN MHs are stable in air at elevated temperatures and have robust ferromagnetism with Curie temperature >400 K. This work presents a facile method for fabricating 2D MHs with tunable magnetism which will benefit high-temperature spintronics.

Hydrogen-bond induced and hetero coupling dual effects in N-doped carbon coated CrN/Ni nanosheets for efficient alkaline freshwater/seawater hydrogen evolution

Developing efficient and robust non-precious-metal-based hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts is highly desirable but remains quite challenging for alkaline freshwater/seawater electrolysis. In the present study, we report a theory-guided design and synthesis of a nickel foam (NF) supported N-doped carbon-coated (NC) nickel (Ni)/chromium nitride (CrN) nanosheets (NC@CrN/Ni) as a highly active and durable electrocatalyst. Our theoretical calculation firstly reveals that CrN/Ni heterostructure can greatly promote the H₂O dissociation via hydrogen-bond induced effect, and the N site can be optimized by hetero coupling to achieve a facile hydrogen associative desorption, thereby significantly boosting alkaline HER. Guided by theoretical calculation, we prepared the nickel-based metal-organic framework as a precursor, and introduced the Cr by the subsequent hydrothermal treatment, finally obtained the target catalyst by ammonia pyrolysis. Such a simple process ensures the exposure of abundant accessible active sites. Consequently, the as-prepared NC@CrN/Ni catalyst exhibits outstanding performance in both alkaline freshwater and seawater, with the respective overpotential of only 24 and 28 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm^-2, respectively. More impressively, the catalyst also possesses superior durability in the constant-current test of 50 h at the different current densities of 10, 100, and 1000 mA cm^-2.

Improvement of Corrosion and Wear Resistance of CoCrNiSi0.3 Medium-Entropy Alloy by Sputtering CrN Film

In this study, Co, Cr, and Ni were selected as the equal-atomic medium entropy alloy (MEA) systems, and Si was added to form CoCrNiSi_0.3 MEA. In order to further improve its wear and corrosion properties, CrN film was sputtered on the surface. In addition, to enhance the adhesion between the soft CoCrNiSi_0.3 substrate and the super-hard CrN film, a Cr buffer layer was pre-sputtered on the CoCrNiSi_0.3 substrate. The experimental results show that the CrN film exhibits a columnar grain structure, and the film growth rate is about 2.022 μm/h. With the increase of sputtering time, the increase in CrN film thickness, and the refinement of columnar grains, the wear and corrosion resistance improves. Among all CoCrNiSi_0.3 MEAs without and with CrN films prepared in this study, the CoCrNiSi_0.3 MEA with 3 h-sputtered CrN film has the lowest wear rate of 2.249 × 10^-5 mm³·m^-1·N^-1, and the best corrosion resistance of I_corr 19.37 μA·cm^-2 and R_p 705.85 Ω·cm².

Room-Temperature Ferromagnetism at an Oxide-Nitride Interface

Heterointerfaces have led to the discovery of novel electronic and magnetic states because of their strongly entangled electronic degrees of freedom. Single-phase chromium compounds always exhibit antiferromagnetism following the prediction of the Goodenough-Kanamori rules. So far, exchange coupling between chromium ions via heteroanions has not been explored and the associated quantum states are unknown. Here, we report the successful epitaxial synthesis and characterization of chromium oxide (Cr_{2}O_{3})-chromium nitride (CrN) superlattices. Room-temperature ferromagnetic spin ordering is achieved at the interfaces between these two antiferromagnets, and the magnitude of the effect decays with increasing layer thickness. First-principles calculations indicate that robust ferromagnetic spin interaction between Cr^{3+} ions via anion-hybridization across the interface yields the lowest total energy. This work opens the door to fundamental understanding of the unexpected and exceptional properties of oxide-nitride interfaces and provides access to hidden phases at low-dimensional quantum heterostructures.

Pressure-Induced Transition from Spin to Superconducting States in Novel MnN2

The connection between magnetism and superconductivity has long been discussed since the discovery of Fe-based superconductors. Here, we report the discovery of a pressure-induced transition from a spin to a superconducting state in novel MnN₂ based on ab initio calculations. The superconducting state can be obtained in two ways: the first is the pressure-induced transition from an AFM-P2₁/m to an NM-I4/mmm phase at 30 GPa, while the other is the pressure-induced transition from an FM-I4/mmm phase to magnetic vanishing at 14 GPa, which leads to a structural transition with the distortion of octahedrons to tetragonal pyramids. NM-I4/mmm-MnN₂ is superconductive with T _c ≈ 17.6 K at 0 GPa. In the second way, electronic structure calculations indicate that the system transforms from a high-spin state to a low-spin state due to increasing crystal-field splitting, causing disappearance of magnetism; more electron occupancy around the Fermi level drives the emergence of superconductivity. Remarkably, I4/mmm-MnN₂ can achieve mutual spin-to-superconducting state transformation by pressure. Moreover, the AFM-P2₁/m-MnN₂ phase is extremely incompressible with the hardness above 20 GPa. Our results provide a reasonable and systematic interpretation for the connection between magnetism and superconductivity and give clues for achieving spin-to-superconducting switching materials with certain crystal features.

Sound Velocities, Elasticity, and Mechanical Properties of Stoichiometric Submicron Polycrystalline δ-MoN at High Pressure

Acoustic velocities and elasticity of stoichiometric submicron polycrystalline δ-MoN have been reported at high pressure using ultrasonic measurements and first-principles calculations. Using the finite-strain equation-of-state approach, the bulk modulus and shear rigidity, as well as their pressure derivatives, are derived from the current experimental data, yielding B_S0 = 360.0(8) GPa, G₀ = 190.0(5) GPa, ∂B_S/∂P = 3.4(2), and ∂G/∂P = 1.4(1). Based on our experimental data and the velocity-elasticity correlated models, the mechanical/thermal properties (i.e., hardness, fracture toughness, Grüneisen parameter, Debye temperature, Poisson's ratio) are also derived. Interestingly, we find that hexagonal δ-MoN is almost as incompressible as superhard cubic boron nitride (cBN) (∼384 GPa) and its hexagonal ε-NbN (∼373 GPa) counterpart, and its shear rigidity (G = 190 GPa) is comparable to that of the superhard diamond composite (G = 204 GPa). Moreover, the fracture toughness of submicron δ-MoN polycrystals is achieved up to ∼4.3 MPa·m^1/2, which is comparable to superhard diamond (4-7 MPa·m^1/2) and cBN (2-5 MPa·m^1/2). The Vickers hardness of submicron δ-MoN is estimated to be H_v ≈ 17.4 GPa using Chen's model, which is found to be almost as hard as hexagonal ε-NbN and δ-WN, and may be very important for its applications in extreme environments.

Effect of disorder on superconductivity of NbN thin films studied using x-ray absorption spectroscopy

The superconducting transition temperature (T_C) of rock-salt type niobium nitride (δ- NbN) typically varies between 9 to 17 K and the theoretically predicted value of 18 K has not been achieved hitherto. The lowT_Cinδ- NbN has been assigned to some structural disorder which is always present irrespective of the microstructure (polycrystalline or epitaxial), methods or conditions adopted during the growth of NbN thin films. In this work, we investigate the atomic origin of such suppression of theT_Cinδ- NbN thin films by employing combined methods of experiments andab initiosimulations. Sputteredδ- NbN thin films with different disorder were studied using the synchrotron-based N and Nb K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy techniques. A strong correlation between the superconductivity and the electronic structure reconstruction was observed. The theoretical analysis revealed that under N-rich growth conditions, atomic and molecular N-interstitial defects assisted by cation vacancies form spontaneously and results into a smeared electronic structure around Fermi-level. The role of electronic smearing on theT_Cis thoroughly discussed.

Pronounced Enhancement of Superconductivity in ZrN via Strain Engineering

Zirconium nitride (ZrN) exhibits excellent mechanical and electronic properties and hosts a superconducting transition temperature (T_c) of 10.0 K that is on the high end among transition-metal nitrides. Here, we report on a first-principles study of tuning superconductivity of ZrN via strain engineering under extensive tensile and shear deformation modes. Our results reveal strikingly effective strain-induced enhancement of T_c up to 17.1 K, which is achieved under tensile strains along the high-symmetry crystallographic [001] deformation path. A systematic analysis of the calculated results indicates that such pronounced strain modulation of superconductivity stems from simultaneous increase of electronic density of states and softening of lattice vibration in the strain-deformed ZrN crystal. The present findings show that strain engineering offers an effective tool for optimizing superconductivity in transition-metal compounds, opening a fresh avenue for improving a major functionality of this class of materials that may find applications in advanced devices.

Strain-Mediated High Conductivity in Ultrathin Antiferromagnetic Metallic Nitrides

Strain engineering provides the ability to control the ground states and associated phase transition in epitaxial films. However, the systematic study of the intrinsic character and strain dependency in transition-metal nitrides remains challenging due to the difficulty in fabricating stoichiometric and high-quality films. Here the observation of an electronic state transition in highly crystalline antiferromagnetic CrN films with strain and reduced dimensionality is reported. By shrinking the film thickness to a critical value of ≈30 unit cells, a profound conductivity reduction accompanied by unexpected volume expansion is observed in CrN films. The electrical conductivity is observed surprisingly when the CrN layer is as thin as a single unit cell thick, which is far below the critical thickness of most metallic films. It is found that the metallicity of an ultrathin CrN film recovers from insulating behavior upon the removal of the as-grown strain by the fabrication of freestanding nitride films. Both first-principles calculations and linear dichroism measurements reveal that the strain-mediated orbital splitting effectively customizes the relatively small bandgap at the Fermi level, leading to an exotic phase transition in CrN. The ability to achieve highly conductive nitride ultrathin films by harnessing strain-control over competing phases can be used for utilizing their exceptional characteristics.

Solution Processable CrN Thin Films: Thickness-Dependent Electrical Transport Properties

Thickness is a very important parameter with which to control the microstructures, along with physical properties in transition-metal nitride thin films. In work presented here, CrN films with different thicknesses (from 26 to 130 nm) were grown by chemical solution deposition. The films are pure phase and polycrystalline. Thickness dependence of microstructures and electrical transport behavior were studied. With the increase of films thickness, grain size and nitrogen content are increased, while resistivity, zero-field sensitivity and magnetoresistance are decreased. In the temperature range of 5-350 K, all samples exhibited semiconductor-like properties with dρ/dT < 0. For the range above and below the Néel temperature, the resistivity can be fitted by the thermal activation model and the two-dimensional weak localization (2D-WL) model, respectively. The ultra-low magnetoresistance at a low temperature under high magnetic fields with a large zero-field sensitivity was observed in the CrN thin films. The zero-field sensitivity can be effectively tuned to 10^-2 K^-1 at 5 K with a magnetoresistance of less than 1% at 2 K under 14 T by reasonably controlling the thickness.

Single-crystal diffractometer coupled with double-sided laser heating system at the Extreme Conditions Beamline P02.2 at PETRAIII

Combination of in situ laser heating with single-crystal X-ray diffraction (scXRD) in diamond anvil cells (DACs) provides a tool to study crystal structures and/or chemistry of materials at simultaneous high pressures and high temperatures. Here, we describe the first dedicated single-crystal X-ray diffractometer coupled with double-sided laser heating (dsLH) system. The scXRD/dsLH setup was developed for the P02.2 Extreme Conditions Beamline at PETRA III and became available for general users in 2017. It enables the collection of reliable scXRD data at simultaneous high pressure and high temperature. We demonstrate the performance of the setup on example of studies of iron and chromium nitrides.

Anomalous Phonon Lifetime Shortening in Paramagnetic CrN Caused by Spin-Lattice Coupling: A Combined Spin and Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Study

We study the mutual coupling of spin fluctuations and lattice vibrations in paramagnetic CrN by combining atomistic spin dynamics and ab initio molecular dynamics. The two degrees of freedom are dynamically coupled, leading to nonadiabatic effects. Those effects suppress the phonon lifetimes at low temperature compared to an adiabatic approach. The dynamic coupling identified here provides an explanation for the experimentally observed unexpected temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity of magnetic semiconductors above the magnetic ordering temperature.

A novel superhard tungsten nitride predicted by machine-learning accelerated crystal structure search

Transition metal nitrides have been suggested to have both high hardness and good thermal stability with large potential application value, but so far stable superhard transition metal nitrides have not been synthesized. Here, with our newly developed machine-learning accelerated crystal structure searching method, we designed a superhard tungsten nitride, h-WN₆, which can be synthesized at pressure around 65 GPa and quenchable to ambient pressure. This h-WN₆ is constructed with single-bonded armchair-like N₆ rings and presents ionic-like features, which can be formulated as W^2.4+N₆^2.4-. It has a band gap of 1.6 eV at 0 GPa and exhibits an abnormal gap broadening behavior under pressure. Excitingly, this h-WN₆ is found to be the hardest among transition metal nitrides known so far (Vickers hardness around 57 GPa) and also has a very high melting temperature (around 1,900 K). Additionally, the good gravimetric (3.1 kJ/g) and volumetric (28.0 kJ/cm³) energy densities make this nitrogen-rich compound a potential high-energy-density material. These predictions support the designing rules and may stimulate future experiments to synthesize superhard and high-energy-density material.

A simple bulk modulus model for crystal materials based on the bond valence model

An empirical model based on the bond valence model has been presented to predict the bulk modulus of crystal materials. The bond bulk modulus, in terms of bond valences and bond length, is introduced to describe the resisting ability of a chemical bond to compression. Both the bond bulk modulus and bond density are proposed to be the most important parameters related to the bulk modulus of crystals. For typical A^NB^8-N and A_mB_n type crystals, the calculated bulk modulus is in good agreement with experimental values. For multibond crystal systems, the bulk modulus can be equivalent to an average of the bulk modulus of all constituted binary systems. Applied to spinel, B-C-N, polymorphic AR₂O₄, and chalcopyrite type multibond compounds, their calculated bulk moduli agree well with the available experimental results. Our bulk modulus model can offer a simple and reliable prediction based on the well-described nature of chemical bonding, which makes it powerful for extensively exploring novel superhard materials with low compressibility, and for interpreting geophysical problems.

Structural evolution behavior of manganese monophosphide under high pressure: experimental and theoretical study

The influence of external pressure on the structural properties of manganese monophosphides (MnP) at room temperature has been studied using in situ angle dispersive synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction (AD-XRD) with a diamond anvil cell. The crystal structure of MnP is stable between 0 to 15 GPa. However, the compressibility of b-axis is much larger than those of a- and c-axes. From this result we suggested that the occurrence of superconductivity in MnP was induced by suppression of the long-range antiferromagnetically ordered state rather than a structural phase transition. Furthermore, the present experimental results show that the Pnma phase of MnP undergoes a pressure-induced structural phase transition at ~15.0 GPa. This finding lighted up-to-date understanding of the common prototype B31 structure (Strukturbericht Designation: B31) in transition metal monophosphides. No additional structural phase transition was observed up to 35.1 GPa (Run 1) and 40.2 GPa (Run 2) from the present AD-XRD results. With an extensive crystal structure searching and ab initio calculations, we predict that MnP underwent two pressure-induced structural phase transitions of Pnma  →  P2₁3 and P2₁3  →  Pm-3m (CsCl-type) at 55.0 and 92.0 GPa, respectively. The structural stability and the electronic structures of manganese monophosphides under high pressure are also briefly discussed.

Computational Search for Novel Hard Chromium-Based Materials

Nitrides, carbides, and borides of transition metals are an attractive class of hard materials. Our recent preliminary explorations of the binary chemical compounds indicated that chromium-based materials are among the hardest transition metal compounds. Motivated by this, here we explore in detail the binary Cr-B, Cr-C, and Cr-N systems using global optimization techniques. Calculated enthalpy of formation and hardness of predicted materials were used for Pareto optimization to define the hardest materials with the lowest energy. Our calculations recover all numerous known stable compounds (except Cr₂₃C₆ with its large unit cell) and discover a novel stable phase Pmn2₁-Cr₂C. We resolve the structure of Cr₂N and find it to be of anti-CaCl₂ type (space group Pnnm). Many of these phases possess remarkable hardness, but only CrB₄ is superhard (Vickers hardness 48 GPa). Among chromium compounds, borides generally possess the highest hardnesses and greatest stability. Under pressure, we predict stabilization of a layered TMDC-like phase of Cr₂N, a WC-type phase of CrN, and a new compound CrN₄. Nitrogen-rich chromium nitride CrN₄ is a high-energy-density material featuring polymeric nitrogen chains. In the presence of metal atoms (e.g., Cr), polymerization of nitrogen takes place at much lower pressures; CrN₄ becomes stable at ∼15 GPa (cf. 110 GPa for synthesis of pure polymeric nitrogen).

Experimental and predicted mechanical properties of Cr1−xAIxN thin films, at high temperatures, incorporating in situ synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction and computational modelling

Cr_1−xAl_xN coatings, synthesised by an unbalanced magnetic sputtering system, showed improved microstructure and mechanical properties for ∼14–21% Al content.

Magnetic MAX phases from theory and experiments; a review

This review presents MAX phases (M is a transition metal, A an A-group element, X is C or N), known for their unique combination of ceramic/metallic properties, as a recently uncovered family of novel magnetic nanolaminates. The first created magnetic MAX phases were predicted through evaluation of phase stability using density functional theory, and subsequently synthesized as heteroepitaxial thin films. All magnetic MAX phases reported to date, in bulk or thin film form, are based on Cr and/or Mn, and they include (Cr,Mn)2AlC, (Cr,Mn)2GeC, (Cr,Mn)2GaC, (Mo,Mn)2GaC, (V,Mn)3GaC2, Cr2AlC, Cr2GeC and Mn2GaC. A variety of magnetic properties have been found, such as ferromagnetic response well above room temperature and structural changes linked to magnetic anisotropy. In this paper, theoretical as well as experimental work performed on these materials to date is critically reviewed, in terms of methods used, results acquired, and conclusions drawn. Open questions concerning magnetic characteristics are discussed, and an outlook focused on new materials, superstructures, property tailoring and further synthesis and characterization is presented.

Transition-metal-nitride-based thin films as novel energy harvesting materials

The last few years have seen a rise in the interest in early transition-metal and rare-earth nitrides, primarily based on ScN and CrN, for energy harvesting by thermoelectricity and piezoelectricity. This is because of a number of important advances, among those the discoveries of exceptionally high piezoelectric coupling coefficient in (Sc,Al)N alloys and of high thermoelectric power factors of ScN-based and CrN-based thin films. These materials also constitute well-defined model systems for investigating thermodynamics of mixing for alloying and nanostructural design for optimization of phase stability and band structure. These features have implications for and can be used for tailoring of thermoelectric and piezoelectric properties. In this highlight article, we review the ScN- and CrN-based transition-metal nitrides for thermoelectrics, and drawing parallels with piezoelectricity. We further discuss these materials as a models systems for general strategies for tailoring of thermoelectric properties by integrated theoretical-experimental approaches.

New synthesis route for ternary transition metal amides as well as ultrafast amide-hydride hydrogen storage materials

K2[Mn(NH2)4] and K2[Zn(NH2)4] were successfully synthesized via a mechanochemical method. The mixture of K2[Mn(NH2)4] and LiH showed excellent rehydrogenation properties. In fact, after dehydrogenation K2[Mn(NH2)4]-8LiH fully rehydrogenates within 60 seconds at ca. 230 °C and 5 MPa of H2. This is one of the fastest rehydrogenation rates in amide-hydride systems known to date. This work also shows a strategy for the synthesis of transition metal nitrides by decomposition of the mixtures of M[M'(NH2)n] (where M is an alkali or alkaline earth metal and M' is a transition metal) and metal hydrides.

Elastic, magnetic and electronic properties of iridium phosphide Ir2P

Cubic (space group: Fmm) iridium phosphide, Ir₂P, has been synthesized at high pressure and high temperature. Angle-dispersive synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements on Ir₂P powder using a diamond-anvil cell at room temperature and high pressures (up to 40.6 GPa) yielded a bulk modulus of B₀ = 306(6) GPa and its pressure derivative B₀′ = 6.4(5). Such a high bulk modulus attributed to the short and strongly covalent Ir-P bonds as revealed by first – principles calculations and three-dimensionally distributed [IrP₄] tetrahedron network. Indentation testing on a well–sintered polycrystalline sample yielded the hardness of 11.8(4) GPa. Relatively low shear modulus of ~64 GPa from theoretical calculations suggests a complicated overall bonding in Ir₂P with metallic, ionic, and covalent characteristics. In addition, a spin glass behavior is indicated by magnetic susceptibility measurements.

Effect of ferromagnetic ordering on phonons in KCo2Se2

Results of the density functional theory studies of the phonon dynamics in the ternary layered cobalt diselenide are reported. The partial phonon densities of states due to vibrations of K, Co, and Se atoms are analysed in detail. They indicate that phonons associated with the dynamics of Co and Se ions within the [Co2Se2] structural blocks span the entire spectral range extending to 260 cm(-1), whereas phonons from the K-sublattice remain limited to the frequency range of 80-150 cm(-1). The phonons conform with structural features of the quasi-2D layered structure of KCo2Se2. Ferromagnetic order in the Co-sublattice is shown to determine to a great extent the phonon densities of states, the Raman and infrared spectra of KCo2Se2. The in-planar magnetic interactions are responsible for pronounced softening of the high-frequency phonon modes and lead to disappearance of the low-frequency Raman-active mode of the E g symmetry. The observed behavior of the Raman-active and infrared-active modes suggests rather strong spin-phonon coupling in KCo2Se2. Results of the present investigations allow to clarify the origin of substantial differences between dynamical properties of the ferromagnetic Co-based and the paramagnetic Ni-based ternary layered dichalcogenides, both adopting the ThCr2Si2-type structure.

Epitaxial CrN thin films with high thermoelectric figure of merit

A large enhancement of the thermoelectric figure of merit is reported in single-crystalline films of CrN. The mechanism of the reduction of the lattice thermal conductivity in cubic CrN is similar to the resonant bonding in IV-VI compounds. Therefore, useful ideas from classic thermo-electrics can be applied to tune functionalities in transition metal nitrides and oxides.

A chromium nitride/carbon nitride containing graphitic carbon nanocapsule hybrid as a Pt-free electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction

A CrN nanoparticle and carbon nitride containing graphitic carbon nanocapsule hybrid has been synthesized, which can be used as a highly-efficient Pt-free electrocatalyst towards oxygen reduction reaction with a dominant 4-electron pathway, superior stability and methanol immunity.

High-pressure structural behaviour of HoVO4: combined XRD experiments and ab initio calculations

We report a high-pressure experimental and theoretical investigation of the structural properties of zircon-type HoVO4. Angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction measurements were carried out under quasi-hydrostatic and partial non-hydrostatic conditions up to 28 and 23.7 GPa, respectively. In the first case, an irreversible phase transition is found at 8.2 GPa. In the second case, the onset of the transition is detected at 4.5 GPa, a second (reversible) transition is found at 20.4 GPa, and a partial decomposition of HoVO4 was observed. The structures of the different phases have been assigned and their equations of state (EOS) determined. Experimental results have also been compared to theoretical calculations which fully agree with quasi-hydrostatic experiments. Theory also suggests the possibility of another phase transition at 32 GPa; i.e. beyond the pressure limit covered by present experiments. Furthermore, calculations show that deviatoric stresses could trigger the transition found at 20.4 GPa under non-hydrostatic conditions. The reliability of the present experimental and theoretical results is supported by the consistency between the values yielded for transition pressures and EOS parameters by the two methods.

Robust ferromagnetism in monolayer chromium nitride

Design and synthesis of two-dimensional (2D) materials with robust ferromagnetism and biocompatibility is highly desirable due to their potential applications in spintronics and biodevices. However, the hotly pursued 2D sheets including pristine graphene, monolayer BN, and layered transition metal dichalcogenides are nonmagnetic or weakly magnetic. Using biomimetic particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique combined with ab initio calculations we predict the existence of a 2D structure, a monolayer of rocksalt-structured CrN (100) surface, which is both ferromagnetic and biocompatible. Its dynamic, thermal and magnetic stabilities are confirmed by carrying out a variety of state-of-the-art theoretical calculations. Analyses of its band structure and density of states reveal that this material is half-metallic, and the origin of the ferromagnetism is due to p-d exchange interaction between the Cr and N atoms. We demonstrate that the displayed ferromagnetism is robust against thermal and mechanical perturbations. The corresponding Curie temperature is about 675 K which is higher than that of most previously studied 2D monolayers.

Facile chemical solution deposition of nanocrystalline CrN thin films with low magnetoresistance

Polycrystalline CrN thin films were first prepared by a facile chemical solution deposition method.

Anomalous compression and new high-pressure phases of vanadium sesquioxide, V2O3

We report results of a powder x-ray diffraction (XRD) study of vanadium sesquioxide, V2O3, under pressurization in a neon pressure-transmitting medium up to 57 GPa. We have established a bulk modulus value for corundum-type V2O3 of B0 = 150 GPa at B' = 4. This bulk modulus value is the lowest among those known for the corundum-type-structured oxides, e.g. Al2O3, α-Fe2O3, Cr2O3, Ti2O3, and α-Ga2O3. We have proposed that this might be related to the difference in the electronic band structures: at room temperature V2O3 is metallic, but the above corundum-structured sesquioxides are semiconducting or insulating. Around ∼21-27 and ∼50 GPa we registered changes in the XRD patterns that might be addressed to phase transitions. These transitions were sluggish upon room-temperature compression, and hence we additionally facilitated them by the laser heating of one sample. We have refined the XRD patterns of only the first high-pressure phase in an orthorhombic lattice of a Rh2O3(II)-type. Our findings significantly extend the knowledge of the P-T phase diagram of V2O3 and advance the understanding of its properties. We speculate that the elastic properties of V2O3 can be closely linked to its electronic band structure and, consequently, we propose that slightly doped V2O3 (e.g. with Cr) could be a potential candidate for systems in which the bulk modulus value may be remarkably switched by moderate pressure or temperature.

Tribology and stability of organic monolayers on CrN: a comparison among silane, phosphonate, alkene, and alkyne chemistries

The fabrication of chemically and mechanically stable monolayers on the surfaces of various inorganic hard materials is crucial to the development of biomedical/electronic devices. In this Article, monolayers based on the reactivity of silane, phosphonate, 1-alkene, and 1-alkyne moieties were obtained on the hydroxyl-terminated chromium nitride surface. Their chemical stability and tribology were systematically investigated. The chemical stability of the modified CrN surfaces was tested in aqueous media at 60 °C at pH 3, 7, and 11 and monitored by static water contact angle measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ellipsometry, and Fourier transform infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (FT-IRRAS). The tribological properties of the resulting organic monolayers with different end groups (fluorinated or nonfluorinated) were studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM). It was found that the fluorinated monolayers exhibit a dramatic reduction of adhesion and friction force as well as excellent wear resistance compared to those of nonfluorinated coatings and bare CrN substrates. The combination of remarkable chemical stability and superior tribological properties makes these fluorinated monolayers promising candidates for the development of robust high-performance devices.

Synthesis of stoichiometric and bulk CrN through a solid-state ion-exchange reaction

Chromium mononitride (CrN) exhibits interesting magnetic, structural, and electronic properties for technological applications. Experimental reports on these properties are often inconsistent owing to differences in the degree of nonstoichiometry in CrN(x). To date, the preparation of bulk and stoichiometric CrN has been challenging; most products are in the form of a thin film produced by non-equilibrium processes, and are often nonstoichiometric and poorly crystallized. In this work, we formulated a solid-state ion-exchange route for the synthesis of CrN under high pressure. The final CrN product is phase-pure, stoichiometric, and well-crystallized in the bulk form. Near-stoichiometric and well-crystallized CrN can be synthesized using the same route at atmospheric pressure, making massive and industrial-scale production technologically feasible. The successful synthesis of stoichiometric and bulk CrN is expected to open new opportunities in diverse areas of fundamental research.

An examination of regenerative medicine-based strategies for the urinary bladder

Patients that are afflicted with dysfunctional urinary bladders due to developmental defect, trauma or malignant transformation have limited treatment options that would allow for complete recapitulation of the urinary bladder. Hence, novel tissue engineering techniques that are successful in regenerating functional urinary bladder tissue for replacement therapy would be invaluable. Current tissue engineering techniques are hampered by several problems including choice of appropriate cell type, inadequate development of new blood vessels to the regenerated tissue, tissue innervation and primitive bioscaffold design. This article describes the recent advances in stem cell biology and the material sciences to address these problems, and attempts to improve upon current tissue engineering techniques to make successful regeneration of urinary bladder tissue a reality.

Synthesis of Binary Transition Metal Nitrides, Carbides and Borides from the Elements in the Laser-Heated Diamond Anvil Cell and Their Structure-Property Relations

Transition metal nitrides, carbides and borides have a high potential for industrial applications as they not only have a high melting point but are generally harder and less compressible than the pure metals. Here we summarize recent advances in the synthesis of binary transition metal nitrides, carbides and borides focusing on the reaction of the elements at extreme conditions generated within the laser-heated diamond anvil cell. The current knowledge of their structures and high-pressure properties like high-(p,T) stability, compressibility and hardness is described as obtained from experiments.

Evidence for a correlated insulator to antiferromagnetic metal transition in CrN

We investigate the electronic structure of chromium nitride (CrN) across the first-order magnetostructural transition at T(N)∼286  K. Resonant photoemission spectroscopy (PES) shows a gap in the 3d partial density of states at the Fermi level and an on-site Coulomb energy U∼4.5  eV, indicating strong electron-electron correlations. Bulk-sensitive high-resolution (6 meV) laser PES reveals a clear Fermi edge indicating an antiferromagnetic metal below T(N). Hard x-ray Cr 2p core-level PES shows T-dependent changes across T(N) which originate from screening due to coherent states as substantiated by cluster model calculations using the experimentally observed U. Electrical resistivity confirms an insulator above T(N) (E(g)∼70  meV) becoming a disordered metal below T(N). Thus, CrN transforms from a correlated insulator to an antiferromagnetic metal, coupled to the magnetostructural transition.