Magnetic Frustration in a Zeolite

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery that sodalite, a common zeolite, doped with Cr3+ ions, exhibits magnetic frustration, revealing new magnetic properties in a well-studied material family.

Contribution

It demonstrates that even well-known materials like zeolites can host unexpected magnetic phenomena such as frustration when doped appropriately.

Findings

Cr(III) ions are present in the doped sodalite.

Doped sodalite exhibits magnetic frustration.

Cr(III) contributes to the magnetic behavior.

Abstract

Zeolites are so well known in real world applications and after decades of scientific study that they hardly need any intro-duction: their importance in chemistry cannot be overemphasized. Here we add to the remarkable properties that they dis-play by reporting our discovery that the simplest zeolite, sodalite, when doped with Cr3+ in the \b{eta}-cage, is a frustrated magnet. Soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy and magnetic measurements reveal that the Cr present is Cr(III). Cr(III), with its isotropic 3d3 valence electron configuration, is well-known as the basis for many geometrically frustrated magnets, but it is especially surprising that a material like the Ca8Al12Cr2O29 zeolite is a frustrated magnet. This finding illustrates the value of exploring the properties of even well-known materials families.