Transition-metal compounds point defects

Nonequihbrium concentrations of point defects can be introduced by materials processing (e.g. rapid quenching or irradiation treatment), in which case they are classified as extrinsic. Extrinsic defects can also be introduced chemically. Often times, nonstoichiometry results from extrinsic point defects, and its extent may be measmed by the defect concentration. Many transition metal compounds are nonstoichiometric because the transition metal is present in more than one oxidation state. For example, some of the metal ions may be oxidized to a higher valence state. This requires either the introduction of cation vacancies or the creation of anion interstitials in order to maintain charge neutrality. The possibility for mixed-valency is not a prerequisite for nonstoichiometry, however. In the alkah hahdes, extra alkah metal atoms can diffuse into the lattice, giving (5 metal atoms ionize and force an equal number... 

The unrestricted and restricted open-sheU Hartree-Fock Methods (UHF and ROHF) for crystals use a single-determinant wavefunction of type (4.40) introduced for molecules. The differences appearing are common with those examined for the RHF LCAO method use of Bloch functions for crystalline orbitals, the dependence of the Fock matrix elements on the lattice sums over the direct lattice and the Brillouin-zone summation in the density matrix calculation. The use of one-determinant approaches is the only possibility of the first-principles wavefunction-based calculations for crystals as the many-determinant wavefunction approach (used for molecules) is practically unrealizable for the periodic systems. The UHF LCAO method allowed calculation of the bulk properties of different transition-metal compounds (oxides, perovskites) the qrstems with open shells due to the transition-metal atom. We discuss the results of these calculations in Chap. 9. The point defects in crystals in many cases form the open-sheU systems and also are interesting objects for UHF LCAO calculations (see Chap. 10). 

Non-stoichiometry is a very important property of actinide dioxides. Small departures from stoichiometric compositions, are due to point-defects in anion sublattice (vacancies for AnOa-x and interstitials for An02+x )- A lattice defect is a point perturbation of the periodicity of the perfect solid and, in an ionic picture, it constitutes a point charge with respect to the lattice, since it is a point of accumulation of electrons or electron holes. This point charge must be compensated, in order to preserve electroneutrality of the total lattice. Actinide ions having usually two or more oxidation states within a narrow range of stability, the neutralization of the point charges is achieved through a Redox process, i.e. oxidation or reduction of the cation. This is in fact the main reason for the existence of non-stoichiometry. In this respect, actinide compounds are similar to transition metals oxides and to some lanthanide dioxides. 

A proper description of electronic defects in terms of simple point defect chemistry is even more complicated as the d electrons of the transition metals and their compounds are intermediate between localized and delocalized behaviour. Recent analysis of the redox thermodynamics of Lao.8Sro,2Co03. based upon data from coulometric titration measurements supports itinerant behaviour of the electronic charge carriers in this compound [172]. The analysis was based on the partial molar enthalpy and entropy of the oxygen incorporation reaction, which can be evaluated from changes in emf with temperature at different oxygen (non-)stoichiometries. The experimental value of the partial molar entropy (free formation entropy) of oxygen incorporation, Asq, could be... 

The transition metal oxides are nonstoichiometric compounds whose compositions depend on the surrounding gas-phase environment. The formation of point defects or alteration of the linkage between polyhedra under catalytic reaction conditions, because of lattice oxygen incorporation in the adsorbed hydrocarbon, leads to the reorganization of the surface and to the formation of extended defects in crystallographic shear planes. This has been demonstrated by Gai [16] for VPO... 

Metal oxides belong to a class of widely used catalysts. They exhibit acidic or basic properties, which make them appropriate systems to be used as supports for highly dispersed metal catalysts or as precursors of a metal phase or sulfide, chloride, etc. Simple metal oxides range from essentially ionic compounds with the electropositive elements to covalent compounds with the nonmetals. However, taking into account the large variety of metal oxides, the principal objective of this book is to examine only metal oxides that are more attractive from the catalytic point of view, and most specifically transition metal oxides (TMO). In particular, TMO usually exhibit nonstoichiometry as a consequence of the presence of defective structures. The interaction of TMO with surfaces of the appropriate carriers develop monolayer structures of these oxides. The crystal and electronic structure, stoichiometry and composition, redox properties, acid-base character and cation valence sates are major ingredients of the chemistry investigated in the first part of the book. New approaches to the preparation of ordered TMO with extended structure of texturally well defined systems are also included. 

If aliovalent impurities are present, these have to be included into Equation (5.26) because they influence the point defect concentrations. A great number of studies, including extrinsic disorder in nonstoichiometric compounds, have appeared in the literature, and the concepts have been extended to ternary and multinaiy compounds. Before discussing these compounds, the concepts will be applied to transition metal oxides, because these represent an important technological class of materials. 

Up to now, we have discussed mostly model intermetallic compounds with simple crystal structures (generally cubic LI2, B2,. . . ) and containing two metal species. We shall now present briefly some properties of point defects in more exotic systems, of considerable interest the A15 superconductors, transition-metal carbides and nitrides, and III-V semiconductors (e.g. GaAs). 

Point defects can play the same role as doping elements. Metal vacancies are effectively present in several MO transition metal oxides. The FeO compound is particularly impressive because tmder atmospheric pressure it is never stoichiometric, irrespective of conditions of temperature and partial oxygen... 

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