Study of intercalation and deintercalation of Na_xCoO_2 yH_2O single crystals

TL;DR

This study investigates the intercalation and deintercalation processes of water in Na_xCoO_2 single crystals, revealing structural changes, stability issues, and the dynamics of water molecule insertion and removal.

Contribution

It provides detailed analysis of water intercalation/deintercalation mechanisms and their effects on crystal structure, using X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric methods.

Findings

Hydrated crystals exhibit cracked layers due to expansion.

Water insertion occurs in two stages: y=0.6 and y=1.3.

Water removal happens stepwise at specific temperatures.

Abstract

Single crystals of NaxCoO2 with beta-phase (x=0.55, 0.60 and 0.65), alpha'-phase (x=0.75) and alpha-phase (x=0.9, 1.0) have been grown by the floating zone technique. The Na-extraction and hydration were carried out for the alpha'-sample to get superconducting phase of NaxCoO2.yH2O (x~0.3, y~1.3). Hydrated single crystals exhibit cracked layers perpendicular to the c-axis due to a large expansion when the water is inserted into the structure. A study of intercalation/deintercalation was performed to determine the stability of the hydrated phase and effects of hydration on the structure of the compound. X-ray diffraction and Thermogravimetric experiments are used to monitor the process of water molecules accommodated in and removed from the crystal lattice. The initial intercalation process takes place with two-water molecules corresponding to y=0.6) inserted in a formula unit, followed by a group of four (y=1.3) to form a cluster of Na(H2O)4. Thermogravimetric analysis suggests that the deintercalation occurs with the removal of the water molecules one by one from the hydrated cluster at elevated temperatures of approximately 50, 100, 200 and 300 C, respectively. Our investigations reveal that the hydration process is dynamic and that water molecule inter- and deintercalation follow different reaction paths in an irreversible way.