BARC/PUB/2021/0970

 
 

Stoichiometric tuning of lattice flexibility and Na diffusion in NaAlSiO4: quasielastic neutron scattering experiment and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations

 
     
 
Author(s)

Gupta, M. K.; Mittal, R.; Sajan Kumar; Singh, B.; Shukla, R.; Achary, S. N.; Tyagi, A. K.; Chaplot, S. L.; and others
(ChD;SSPD)

Source

Journal of Materials Chemistry-A, 2021. Vol. 9: pp. 16129-16136

ABSTRACT

We have performed quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) experiments up to 1243 K and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations to investigate the Na diffusion in various phases of NaAlSiO4 (NASO), namely, low-carnegieite (L-NASO; trigonal), high-carnegieite (H-NASO; cubic) and nepheline (N-NASO; hexagonal) phases. The QENS measurements reveal Na ions localized diffusion behavior in L-NASO and N-NASO, but long-range diffusion behavior in H-NASO. The AIMD simulation supplemented the QENS measurements and showed that excess Na ions in H-NASO enhance the host network flexibility and activate the AlO4/SiO4 tetrahedra rotational modes. These framework modes enable the long-range diffusion of Na across a pathway of interstitial sites. The simulations also show Na diffusion in Na-deficient N-NASO through vacant Na sites along the hexagonal c-axis.

 
 
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