136 / 2023-04-14 16:47:47

Pressure-induced Structural Phase Transition in Kempite: A Candidate Material for Quantum Spin Liquid

Kempite, quantum spin liquid, solid-phase reaction method, high-pressure

高压物理与材料科学 > 功能材料-海报

Geometrically frustrated materials have garnered widespread interest among researchers due to their unique electronic correlation effects and topological quantum states. However, investigating the structure-property relationship of these materials has proven to be challenging. Our research group has successfully synthesized β-Mn₂(OH)₃Cl nanosheets with good crystallization and stability, which exhibit typical geometric inhibition characteristics and are considered excellent candidates for quantum spin liquids (QSL). High pressure, an important thermodynamic parameter, can alter the crystal structure, atomic spacing, and electronic behavior of materials, making it a crucial tool for studying the structure-property relationship. Using in situ high pressure synchrotron radiation, high pressure Raman spectroscopy, and high pressure ultraviolet absorption spectra, we have discovered that the original twisted octahedral coordination structure of β-Mn₂(OH)₃Cl transforms into a perfect kagome structure under high pressure, accompanied by a transition in lattice symmetry. This transformation can be attributed to the synergistic effect of external pressure driving the internal hydrogen bond and the intrinsic Jahn-Teller effect, resulting in the symmetric recombination of the macroscopic structure and the formation of a new kagome topological order. Our work provides new insights into the high-pressure structural transformation mechanism of geometrically frustrated materials and has important implications for exploring the structure-property relationship of candidate materials for quantum spin liquids with kagome characteristics.