Direct observation of V-trimers in the crystal structure of LiVO2

Abstract Although a trimerized ground state has been predicted for LiVO2 for over half a century, the direct determination of its crystal structure in the trimerized phase by X-ray diffraction remains elusive. Depending on the cooling process, two distinct structural modifications have been prepared...

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Main Authors: S. Yun, C.-F. Chang, S.-H. Chen, C.-Y. Kuo, L. H. Tjeng, A. C. Komarek
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Communications Chemistry
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01595-y
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author S. Yun
C.-F. Chang
S.-H. Chen
C.-Y. Kuo
L. H. Tjeng
A. C. Komarek
author_facet S. Yun
C.-F. Chang
S.-H. Chen
C.-Y. Kuo
L. H. Tjeng
A. C. Komarek
author_sort S. Yun
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Although a trimerized ground state has been predicted for LiVO2 for over half a century, the direct determination of its crystal structure in the trimerized phase by X-ray diffraction remains elusive. Depending on the cooling process, two distinct structural modifications have been prepared - LiVO2 with streak-like, smeared-out superstructure reflection intensities and Li0.91VO2 with well-separated superstructure reflection intensities. The discovery of well-separated superstructure reflections in Li0.91VO2 enabled us to solve its crystal structure. This motivated us to attribute the streak-like superstructure reflection intensities in LiVO2 to an overlap of reflections due to a unit cell doubling along the c-axis, which contrasts with the previous interpretation of randomly stacked V trimer layers. The availability of the crystal structure data forms a starting point for the quantitative modeling of the trimerization phenomenon in this complex Mott insulator.
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spelling doaj-art-fd2cbda23fe14758ababf6e458c2ada52025-08-20T03:04:26ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Chemistry2399-36692025-07-01811810.1038/s42004-025-01595-yDirect observation of V-trimers in the crystal structure of LiVO2S. Yun0C.-F. Chang1S.-H. Chen2C.-Y. Kuo3L. H. Tjeng4A. C. Komarek5Max-Planck-Institute for Chemical Physics of SolidsMax-Planck-Institute for Chemical Physics of SolidsMax-Planck-Institute for Chemical Physics of SolidsMax-Planck-Institute for Chemical Physics of SolidsMax-Planck-Institute for Chemical Physics of SolidsMax-Planck-Institute for Chemical Physics of SolidsAbstract Although a trimerized ground state has been predicted for LiVO2 for over half a century, the direct determination of its crystal structure in the trimerized phase by X-ray diffraction remains elusive. Depending on the cooling process, two distinct structural modifications have been prepared - LiVO2 with streak-like, smeared-out superstructure reflection intensities and Li0.91VO2 with well-separated superstructure reflection intensities. The discovery of well-separated superstructure reflections in Li0.91VO2 enabled us to solve its crystal structure. This motivated us to attribute the streak-like superstructure reflection intensities in LiVO2 to an overlap of reflections due to a unit cell doubling along the c-axis, which contrasts with the previous interpretation of randomly stacked V trimer layers. The availability of the crystal structure data forms a starting point for the quantitative modeling of the trimerization phenomenon in this complex Mott insulator.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01595-y
spellingShingle S. Yun
C.-F. Chang
S.-H. Chen
C.-Y. Kuo
L. H. Tjeng
A. C. Komarek
Direct observation of V-trimers in the crystal structure of LiVO2
Communications Chemistry
title Direct observation of V-trimers in the crystal structure of LiVO2
title_full Direct observation of V-trimers in the crystal structure of LiVO2
title_fullStr Direct observation of V-trimers in the crystal structure of LiVO2
title_full_unstemmed Direct observation of V-trimers in the crystal structure of LiVO2
title_short Direct observation of V-trimers in the crystal structure of LiVO2
title_sort direct observation of v trimers in the crystal structure of livo2
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-025-01595-y
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