Mercury Sulfide Dimorphism in Thioarsenate Glasses

J Phys Chem B. 2016 Jun 16;120(23):5278-90. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b03382. Epub 2016 Jun 2.

Abstract

Crystalline mercury sulfide exists in two drastically different polymorphic forms in different domains of the P,T-diagram: red chain-like insulator α-HgS, stable below 344 °C, and black tetrahedral narrow-band semiconductor β-HgS, stable at higher temperatures. Using pulsed neutron and high-energy X-ray diffraction, we show that these two mercury bonding patterns are present simultaneously in mercury thioarsenate glasses HgS-As2S3. The population and interconnectivity of chain-like and tetrahedral dimorphous forms determine both the structural features and fundamental glass properties (thermal, electronic, etc.). DFT simulations of mercury species and RMC modeling of high-resolution diffraction data provide additional details on local Hg environment and connectivity implying the (HgS2/2)m oligomeric chains (1 ≤ m ≤ 6) are acting as a network former while the HgS4/4-related mixed agglomerated units behave as a modifier.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't