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Title: Structure and vibrational dynamics of isotopically labeled lithium borohydride using neutron diffraction and spectroscopy

Journal Article · · Journal of Solid State Chemistry
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8562 (United States)
  2. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States)
  3. Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125 (United States)

The crystalline structure of a {sup 7}Li and {sup 11}B labeled lithium borohydride has been investigated using neutron powder diffraction at 3.5, 360, and 400 K. The B-H bond lengths and H-B-H angles for the [BH{sub 4}]{sup -} tetrahedra indicated that the tetrahedra maintained a nearly ideal configuration throughout the temperature range investigated. The atomic displacement parameters at 360 K suggest that the [BH{sub 4}]{sup -} tetrahedra become increasingly disordered as a result of large amplitude librational and reorientational motions as the orthorhombic to hexagonal phase transition (T=384 K) is approached. In the high-temperature hexagonal phase, the [BH{sub 4}]{sup -} tetrahedra displayed extreme disorder about the trigonal axis along which they are aligned. Neutron vibrational spectroscopy data were collected at 5 K over an energy range of 10-170 meV, and were found to be in good agreement with prior Raman and low-resolution neutron spectroscopy studies. - Graphical abstract: The structure of {sup 7}Li{sup 11}BH{sub 4} in the low-temperature Pnma phase, including atomic displacement ellipsoids, at 3.5 K.

OSTI ID:
21015777
Journal Information:
Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Vol. 180, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.jssc.2007.01.031; PII: S0022-4596(07)00073-4; Copyright (c) 2007 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0022-4596
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English