Structural Studies of Hydrogen Storage Alloys using X-ray/Neutron Diffraction and Total Scattering

2011 ◽  
Vol 1334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yumiko Nakamura ◽  
Hyunjeong Kim ◽  
Saishun Yamazaki ◽  
Kouji Sakaki ◽  
Thomas Proffen ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTCrystal and local structures and hydrogen occupation of Mg containing materials, (Mg,Ca)Nix (x = 2, 3) intermetallic compounds and a MgCo metastable alloy, have been investigated using in-situ and ex-situ X-ray/neutron diffraction and total scattering.A C15 Laves phase (Mg0.67Ca0.33)Ni2 showed isotropic lattice expansion upon hydrogenation. Mg and Ca occupied the same site randomly. It has two hydrogen sites, Mg(Ca)2Ni2 site and M(Ca)Ni3 site.Mg2CaNi9, MgCa2Ni9, and CaNi3 compounds consisted of MgZn2-type (Mg,Ca)2Ni4 cell and CaCu5-type CaNi5 cell stacking along the c-axis. The MgZn2-type cell was occupied by only Mg in Mg2CaNi9, and randomly occupied by both Mg and Ca in MgCa2Ni9. Expansion of this cell strongly depended on the composition: larger expansion was observed in a Ca-rich composition.Local structure of a Mg-Co alloy synthesized by mechanical alloying has been studied using the PDF (Pair Distribution Function) method. The analysis suggested that material contained two 1-2 nm domains with different compositions and local structures, i.e. Mg-rich and Co-rich domains, and hydrogen was located only in the Mg-rich domain.

2018 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 796-801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kouji Sakaki ◽  
Hyunjeong Kim ◽  
Akihiko Machida ◽  
Tetsu Watanuki ◽  
Yoshinori Katayama ◽  
...  

This article describes the development of an in situ gas-loading sample holder for synchrotron X-ray total scattering experiments, particularly for hydrogen storage materials, designed to collect diffraction and pair distribution function (PDF) data under pressurized hydrogen gas. A polyimide capillary with a diameter and thickness of 1.4 and 0.06 mm, respectively, connected with commercially available Swagelok fittings was used as an in situ sample holder. Leakage tests confirmed that this sample holder allows 3 MPa of hydrogen gas pressure and 393 K to be achieved without leakage. Using the developed in situ sample holder, significant background and Bragg peaks from the sample holder were not observed in the X-ray diffraction patterns and their signal-to-noise ratios were sufficiently good. The PDF patterns showed sharp peaks in the r range up to 100 Å. The results of Rietveld and PDF refinements of Ni are consistent with those obtained using a polyimide capillary (1.0 mm diameter and 0.04 mm thickness) that has been used for ex situ experiments. In addition, in situ synchrotron X-ray total scattering experiments under pressurized hydrogen gas up to 1 MPa were successfully demonstrated for LaNi4.6Cu.


2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (a1) ◽  
pp. C736-C736
Author(s):  
Antonio Cervellino ◽  
Ruggero Frison ◽  
Antonella Guagliardi ◽  
Giuseppe Cernuto ◽  
Norberto Masciocchi ◽  
...  

Iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) show different structures as a function of oxidation state. In particular, magnetite (Fe3O4) NPs are easily oxidized in air at moderate temperatures, eventually yielding maghemite (Fe2O3). Oxidation proceeds via the creation of iron vacancies. While the vacancies may be created with a random distribution throughout the octahedral Fe sites, they eventually order over a specific subset of these sites, lowering the symmetry from F-centered (magnetite) to P-centered (cubic maghemite). By ex situ X-ray Total Scattering studies of magnetite-maghemite NPs in different oxidation states[1] we have recently studied, by the DFA method[2], the correlation between particle diameter, stoichiometry and lattice parameter in polydisperse NP samples unraveling also the size dependence of lattice parameter and composition. Moreover, we have shown indirect evidence of the formation of a polycrystalline surface layer of maghemite on a magnetite core in the intermediate oxidation states. Motivated by the excellent ex-situ results, we have also performed in-situ studies where magnetite NPs were oxidised in air at moderate temperatures (50-200 C). We present here an in-situ study performed at the X04SA-Materials Science beamline of the Swiss Light Source synchrotron[3]. Total Scattering X-ray diffraction patterns were collected every few minutes, while the oxidation was completed within several hours. The mechanism of NPs oxidation - whereas a surface oxidised layer is formed by outwards diffusion of Fe, then the vacancies so created order themselves giving rise to the maghemite-magnetite phase transition, will be examined in great detail. We will discuss, on robust statistical basis, the calculation of kinetic and diffusion constants, the temperature effect on the lattice constant and on the thickness of the surface oxidised layer; the different possible structural models for the cubic-maghemite NPs. We thank for support Fondazione Cariplo (2009-0289).


1997 ◽  
Vol 502 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Ressler ◽  
Joe Wong ◽  
W. Metz

ABSTRACTIn addition to being an established technique for ex-situ structural studies, x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) has recently been realized to be a powerful tool for in-situ time-resolved investigations in materials science. This paper describes two complementary techniques: quick-scanning EXAFS (QEXAFS) and energy-dispersive XAS (DXAS) which offer time resolution in the seconds and milliseconds range, respectively. Formation of a heterogeneous catalyst from a solid-state reaction of a precursor is presented as an example of a time-resolved XAS application.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (34) ◽  
pp. 18860-18867 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew E. Potter ◽  
Mark E. Light ◽  
Daniel J. M. Irving ◽  
Alice E. Oakley ◽  
Stephanie Chapman ◽  
...  

Novel in situ synchrotron total scattering measurements probe the assembly of primary building units into templated hierarchically porous aluminophosphate catalysts, providing unique insights to understanding crystallisation kinetics.


Nanoscale ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivia Aalling-Frederiksen ◽  
Mikkel Juelsholt ◽  
Andy Sode Anker ◽  
Kirsten Marie Ørnsbjerg Jensen

Understanding the mechanisms for nanoparticle nucleation and growth is crucial for the development of tailormade nanomaterials. Here, we use X-ray total scattering and Pair Distribution Function analysis to follow the...


2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 1190-1199
Author(s):  
Maria Diaz-Lopez ◽  
Geoffrey L. Cutts ◽  
Phoebe K. Allan ◽  
Dean S. Keeble ◽  
Allan Ross ◽  
...  

In situ electrochemical cycling combined with total scattering measurements can provide valuable structural information on crystalline, semi-crystalline and amorphous phases present during (dis)charging of batteries. In situ measurements are particularly challenging for total scattering experiments due to the requirement for low, constant and reproducible backgrounds. Poor cell design can introduce artefacts into the total scattering data or cause inhomogeneous electrochemical cycling, leading to poor data quality or misleading results. This work presents a new cell design optimized to provide good electrochemical performance while performing bulk multi-scale characterizations based on total scattering and pair distribution function methods, and with potential for techniques such as X-ray Raman spectroscopy. As an example, the structural changes of a nanostructured high-capacity cathode with a disordered rock-salt structure and composition Li4Mn2O5 are demonstrated. The results show that there is no contribution to the recorded signal from other cell components, and a very low and consistent contribution from the cell background.


2008 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 705-714 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Krayzman ◽  
Igor Levin ◽  
Mathew G. Tucker

Reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) refinements using a combined real-space fit of the neutron/X-ray total scattering pair-distribution function (PDF) and the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) were developed and implemented as an extension to the public domain computer softwareRMCProfile. The effectiveness of combined PDF/EXAFS RMC refinements was tested using perovskite Ca(Zr,Ti)O3solid solutions. The analyses revealed that combining two types of data yields correct distributions of the Ti—O and Zr—O distances that could not be recovered using either of the techniques alone because of the substantial overlap between the Ti—O and Zr—O partial PDFs. The combined refinements enabled reasonably accurate reproduction of most of the local structure characteristics, including the dependence of Ca displacements on the localB-cation coordination around Ca.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Younghee Lee ◽  
Daniela M. Piper ◽  
Andrew S. Cavanagh ◽  
Matthias J. Young ◽  
Se-Hee Lee ◽  
...  

<div>Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of LiF and lithium ion conducting (AlF<sub>3</sub>)(LiF)<sub>x</sub> alloys was developed using trimethylaluminum, lithium hexamethyldisilazide (LiHMDS) and hydrogen fluoride derived from HF-pyridine solution. ALD of LiF was studied using in situ quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and in situ quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) at reaction temperatures between 125°C and 250°C. A mass gain per cycle of 12 ng/(cm<sup>2</sup> cycle) was obtained from QCM measurements at 150°C and decreased at higher temperatures. QMS detected FSi(CH<sub>3</sub>)<sub>3</sub> as a reaction byproduct instead of HMDS at 150°C. LiF ALD showed self-limiting behavior. Ex situ measurements using X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) showed a growth rate of 0.5-0.6 Å/cycle, in good agreement with the in situ QCM measurements.</div><div>ALD of lithium ion conducting (AlF3)(LiF)x alloys was also demonstrated using in situ QCM and in situ QMS at reaction temperatures at 150°C A mass gain per sequence of 22 ng/(cm<sup>2</sup> cycle) was obtained from QCM measurements at 150°C. Ex situ measurements using XRR and SE showed a linear growth rate of 0.9 Å/sequence, in good agreement with the in situ QCM measurements. Stoichiometry between AlF<sub>3</sub> and LiF by QCM experiment was calculated to 1:2.8. XPS showed LiF film consist of lithium and fluorine. XPS also showed (AlF<sub>3</sub>)(LiF)x alloy consists of aluminum, lithium and fluorine. Carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen impurities were both below the detection limit of XPS. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) observed that LiF and (AlF<sub>3</sub>)(LiF)<sub>x</sub> alloy film have crystalline structures. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and ionic chromatography revealed atomic ratio of Li:F=1:1.1 and Al:Li:F=1:2.7: 5.4 for (AlF<sub>3</sub>)(LiF)<sub>x</sub> alloy film. These atomic ratios were consistent with the calculation from QCM experiments. Finally, lithium ion conductivity (AlF<sub>3</sub>)(LiF)<sub>x</sub> alloy film was measured as σ = 7.5 × 10<sup>-6</sup> S/cm.</div>


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