학술논문

Crystal growth, crystal structure determination, and computational studies of a new mixed (NH4)2Mn1–xZnx(SO4)2(H2O)6 Tutton salt
Document Type
Original Paper
Source
Journal of Molecular Modeling: Computational Chemistry - Life Science - Advanced Materials - New Methods. 28(11)
Subject
Crystal growth
Tutton salts
Powder X-ray diffraction
Hirshfeld surface analysis
DFT calculations
Language
English
ISSN
1610-2940
0948-5023
Abstract
Tutton salts have been extensively explored in recent decades due to their attractive physical and chemical properties, which make them potential candidates for thermochemical heat storage systems and optical technologies. In this paper, a series of new mixed Tutton salts with the chemical formula (NH4)2Mn1–xZnx(SO4)2(H2O)6 is reported. Crystals are successfully grown by the solvent slow evaporation method and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) with Rietveld refinement. In particular, the crystal structure of the mixed (NH4)2Mn0.5Zn0.5(SO4)2(H2O)6 crystal is solved through PRXD data using the DICVOL06 algorithm for diffraction pattern indexing and the Le Bail method for lattice parameter and spatial group determination. The structure is refined using the Rietveld method implemented in TOPAS® and reported in the Cambridge Structural Database file number 2104098. Moreover, a computational study using Hirshfeld surface and crystal void analyses is conducted to identify and quantify the intermolecular interactions in the crystal structure as well as to determine the amount of free space in the unit cell. Furthermore, 2D-fingerprint plots are generated to evaluate the main intermolecular contacts that stabilize the crystal lattice. Density functional theory is employed to calculate the structural, thermodynamic, and electronic properties of the coordination [Zn(H2O)6]2+ and [Mn(H2O)6]2+ complexes present in the salts. Molecular orbitals, bond lengths, and the Jahn–Teller effect are also discussed. The findings suggest that in Mn-Zn salts several properties dependent on the electronic structure can be tuned up by modifying the chemical composition.