A(2+) Cation Control of Chiral Domain Formation in A(TiO)Cu4(PO4)4 (A = Ba, Sr)

Inorg Chem. 2016 Feb 1;55(3):1002-4. doi: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.5b02622. Epub 2016 Jan 14.

Abstract

Single crystals of two novel tetragonal chiral materials, A(TiO)Cu4(PO4)4 (A = Ba, Sr), were grown from Na2Mo2O7 flux, and their crystal and chiral domain structures were characterized. Polarized-light microscopy studies of the chiral domain structures in the crystals show that Ba(TiO)Cu4(PO4)4 mostly hosts a multidomain state, while a monodomain state predominantly appears in Sr(TiO)Cu4(PO4)4. To explain this striking difference, we quantified the chirality strength of these materials by comparing atomic positions in the chiral and nearest-achiral crystal structures, revealing larger chirality strength in Sr(TiO)Cu4(PO4)4 than in Ba(TiO)Cu4(PO4)4. Our proposed mechanisms linking the chirality strength and domain formation can account for the different occurrence frequency of chiral domains in this system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't