MS19-03 - Crystal Growth Investigations of Lithium Iridate, Li2IrO3, and Lithium Ruthenates, Li2RuO3 and Li3RuO4


Linda Kerkhoff
(Section Crystallography, Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne, Germany)

Recently, lithium ruthenates,Li2RuO3 and Li3RuO4, and the Li2IrO3-modifications attracted considerable attention with exhibiting unconventional magnetism[1-3].

The structures of the three modifications of Li2IrO3 ((α-,β- and γ-Li2IrO3[4-6]) and Li2RuO3[7] consist of a honeycomb-like network,while the main structural components of Li3RuO4 are zigzag chains[8]. The need for high-quality single crystals for further investigations turns all compounds into subjects of crystal growth efforts, which are complemented by DTA and powder-XRD.

Single crystals are grown from the gaseous phase. A modified setup after [9] was realised, in which educts are separated by spacers with spikes, acting as preferred nucleation sites.The place of crystallisation depends on the position of the chemical equilibrium.Moreover, Li2IrO3-modifications show preferred growth conditions. For the first time, the applicability of this setup for the growth of Li3RuO4 is shown.

Currently, single crystals of α-Li2IrO3(1mm),β-Li2IrO3(0,5mm),Li2RuO3(0,6mm) and Li3RuO4(0,1mm) can be grown successfully.

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[2]Chaloupka et al.,Phys.Rev.Lett., 105,027204(2010).

[3]Manuel et al.,Phys.Rev.B, 84,174430(2011).

[4]O’Malley et al.,J.Solid State Chem., 181,1803–1809(2008).

[5]Biffin et al.,Phys.Rev.B, 90,205116(2014).

[6]Modic et al.,Nat.Commun., 5,4203(2014).

[7]Kobayashi et al.,Solid State Ionics, 82,25-31(1995).

[8]Alexander et al.,J.Mater.Chem., 13,2612-2616(2003).

[9]Freund et al.,Scientific reports, 6,35362(2016).