The crystal structure of natural boehmite, AlOOH, from Tveidalen, Langesundsfjorden, Norway, with a = 3.693(1), b = 12.221(2) and c = 2.865(1) Å, was refined from single crystal X-ray diffraction data (MoKα maximum 2θ = 120°) to an Rw value of 0.032 in space groups Amam and A21am. In both cases the proton was found to occupy positions of the type (x, 0.038, 0), where x = 0.104 and 0.396, about 0.75 Å from the donor oxygen atom. This arrangement corresponds to the presence of chains of asymmetric hydrogen bonds with random polarity parallel to the a axis, and indicates that the effective space group is Amam. No significant electron density was observed either at the center (0, 0, 0) or at the position (1/4, y, 0), corresponding to symmetric and bifurcated hydrogen bonds, respectively, between the layers of octahedra.

Calculations of the total energy of a representative portion of the boehmite structure as a function of hydroxyl orientation, using semiempirical molecular orbitals of the Hückel type, are in agreement with the observed electron density distribution and suggest a preference for (1) sp3, rather than sp2, hybridization of the donor oxygen atom orbitals, and (2) asymmetric, rather than symmetric hydrogen bonds. Disorder of the hydrogen atom positions within individual hydrogen bond chains is shown to be much less likely than disorder between adjacent fully coherent chains.

Single-crystal Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of Keokuk kaolinite and Ouray dickite were obtained with an FTIR microscope. Although numerous IR, FTIR, and Raman spectra of polycrystalline kaolinite and dickite can be found in the literature, the present data represent the first reported single-crystal vibrational spectra for these clay minerals. The orientation of the crystallographic axes of dickite was determined using a cross-polarizing optical microscope fitted with an 550-nm optical retardation plate. Assignment of the inner hydroxyl group OH1 to the 3623-cm-1 band was confirmed, and the angle of this OH group to the b-axis was determined to be 47° based upon the measured dichroic ratio. The 3702-3710-cm−1 absorption feature appeared to consist of two closely spaced bands having slightly different polarization behavior. The inner-surface hydroxyl group OH3 was assigned to the absorption bands at 3710 cm−1. The calculated angle of the OH3 groups to the b-axis was found to be 22°, which agrees well with the angles determined by X-ray powder diffraction and neutron diffraction. The remaining hydroxyl groups, OH2 and OH4, were assigned to the 3656 cm-1 band; the angle of the OH2 and OH4 groups to the b-axis was measured at 45°. The polarization behavior of the OH-deformation bands of dickite at 911, 937, and 952 cm−1 was found to be similar to that observed in the OH-stretching region. Single-crystal FTIR spectra of Keokuk kaolinite showed that rotation of the electric vector around the c/z axis in the ab plane of kaolinite resulted in a behavior distinct from that of dickite. The OH-stretching bands of kaolinite were found to be considerably more polarized than the corresponding bands of dickite. This is related directly to the fact that dickite possesses a glide plane (space group Cc) compared with kaolinite, which does not (space group C1).

In this work, SnS1−xSex ternary nanobelts were synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method without the assistance of surfactants. The structure, morphology, microstructure, compositions, chemical valences, phonon modes, and optical band gaps of the SnS1−xSex nanobelts were characterized in detail. The results indicate that the SnS1−xSex nanobelts have uniform one-dimensional morphology and are single crystals with high crystallinity. Se is incorporated into the SnS lattice to substitute for S-forming ternary SnS1−xSex alloy. With the increase of Se doping concentration, the optical band gaps of the nanobelts gradually decrease from 1.15 to 1.01 eV, confirming the tunable optical property achieved here.

The crystal structure of Fe2SiO4 spinel at room temperature was investigated at seven different pressures by X-ray diffraction, using a diamond anvil cell to examine the influence of Fe substitution on ringwoodite behaviour at high pressure. The results compared with those of a pure Mg endmember show that the substitution of Fe into the spinel structure causes only small changes in the compression rate of coordination polyhedra and the distortion of the octahedron. The data show that the compression rate for the octahedron and tetrahedron in (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 can be considered statistically equal for FeO6 and MgO6, as well as for SiO4 in both the endmembers. This shows why almost identical bulk moduli are reported along the solid solution in recent literature.

The effect of cation vacancies upon the thermal expansion and crystal structure of a synthetic defect spinel with composition Mg0.4Al2.4☐0.2O4 was investigated by X-ray diffraction, in situ, at temperatures up to 1273 K. No evidence of symmetry violations from the Fd3m evenat the highest temperature were noted. The volume thermal expansion is markedly less than that of stoichiometric MgAl2O4 spinel, regardless of the degree of inversion. The u oxygen atomic coordinate remains constant throughout the temperature range investigated, with the M–O an dT–O bond lengths showing identical rates of expansivities. An analysis of the evolution of polyhedral volumes with temperature indicates that at 1273 K the octahedron inflates by 0.099 Å3 and the tetrahedron by 0.056 Å3. The expansion of the octahedron is significantly greater than in stoichiometric MgAl2O4 spinel, whereas the expansion of the tetrahedron is similar. The results demonstrate that an excess of Al in the spinel structure accompanied by the formation of cation vacancies strongly affect an important thermodynamic property, in this case, thermal expansion. Such an effect must be considered for those phases stable inthe Earth’s mantle where 4–5 wt.% Al2O3 is thought to be present.

X-ray powder diffraction data for 5,6-dihydro-3-(4-morpholinyl)-1-[4-(2-oxo-1-piperidinyl)phenyl]-2(1H)-pyridinone, C20H25N3O3, are reported [a = 5.989(2), b = 6.669(3), c = 24.605(5)Å, α = 84.466(7)°, β = 89.859(6)°, γ = 69.074(4)°, unit-cell volume V = 913.11 Å3, Z = 2, and space group P−1]. No detectable impurities were observed.

The structure of K3H(SO4)2 is found to be monoclinic with space group C2/c based on analogy of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern with that of the Rb3H(SO4)2. The lattice parameters are a=14.6984(7), b=5.6840(2), c=9.7834(5) Å, and β=103.004(5)°, Vol=796.39(5); Dx=2.589 gcm−3, Z=4, and I/Icor=1.30.

A new member of the LnMIn5 family, ErCoIn5, has been synthesized by a flux-growth method. The structure of ErCoIn5 was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. It crystallizes in the tetragonal space group P4/mmm, Z = 1, with lattice parameters a = 4.5400(4) and c = 7.3970(7) Å, and V = 152.46(2) Å3. Electrical resistivity data show metallic behavior. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show this compound to be antiferromagnetic with TN = 5.1 K. We compare these experimental results with those of LaCoIn5 in an effort to better understand the effect of the structural trends observed on the transport and magnetic properties.

New experimental results of investigations of the interactions of an intense 4.3-GeV electron beam with an aligned single crystal are given in the case when the electrons travel close to the crystalline planes (110). The growth of low energy radiation yields with the intensity of the electron beam and the peculiar properties of the produced γ-quanta at their passage through a small collimator aperture were observed. Large angular asymmetry at the scattering of low energy γ-quanta, which is evidence of high polarization of the radiation, was also detected. These unexpected phenomena may be stimulated by strong correlations of atomic excitations in crystals. The obtained results will be of use for understanding of the properties of both the excited crystalline medium and the mechanism of intense radiation under these conditions and also for practical applications of the radiation.

Shape-memory alloys are now widely used because they exhibit a large recoverable strain, which is caused by the conversion of variants in the martensite phase. The conversion of variants is usually promoted by the application of external stress. Recently, however, it was found that the conversion of variants can also be promoted by the application of a magnetic field to induce the martensitic state in ferromagnetic Ni2MnGa shape-memory alloys. Since then, the research in this field has focused considerable attention on applications for using the materials as actuators and sensors because their response to a magnetic field is much faster than their response to heating or cooling. Furthermore, the mechanism of the conversion of variants by the magnetic field has attracted academic interest from many researchers. In this article, we show giant magnetostrictive behavior in three ferromagnetic shape-memory alloys—Ni2MnGa, Fe-Pd, and Fe3Pt—and review the investigations performed so far by many researchers, including the present authors.