Abstract: Scheelite related compounds (A',A '') [(B',B '')O-4], with B', B '' = W and/or Mo are promising new light-emitting materials for photonic applications, including phosphor converted LEDs (light-emitting diodes). In this paper, the creation and ordering of A-cation vacancies and the effect of cation substitutions in the scheelite-type framework are investigated as a factor for controlling the scheelite-type structure and luminescent properties. CaGd2(1-x)Eu2x(MoO4)(4(1-y))(WO4)(4y) (0 <= x <= 1, 0 <= y <= 1) solid solutions with scheelite-type structure were synthesized by a solid state method, and their structures were investigated using a combination of transmission electron microscopy techniques and powder X-ray diffraction. Within this series all complex molybdenum oxides have (3 + 2)D incommensurately modulated structures with superspace group I4(1)/a(alpha,beta,0)00(-beta,alpha,0)00, while the structures of all tungstates are (3 + 1)D incommensurately modulated with superspace group I2/b(alpha beta 0)00. In both cases the modulation arises because of cation-vacancy ordering at the A site. The prominent structural motif is formed by columns of A-site vacancies running along the c-axis. These vacant columns occur in rows of two or three aligned along the [110] direction of the scheelite subcell. The replacement of the smaller Gd3+ by the larger Eu3+ at the A-sublattice does not affect the nature of the incommensurate modulation, but an increasing replacement of Mo6+ by W6+ switches the modulation from (3 + 2)D to (3 + 1)D regime. Thus, these solid solutions can be considered as a model system where the incommensurate modulation can be monitored as a function of cation nature while the number of cation vacancies at the A sites remain constant upon the isovalent cation replacement. All compounds' luminescent properties were measured, and the optical properties were related to the structural properties of the materials. CaGd2(1-x)(MoO4)(4(1-y))(WO4)(4y) phosphors emit intense red light dominated by the D-5(0)-F-7(2) transition at 612 nm, along with other transitions from the D-5(1) and D-5(0) excited states. The intensity of the 5D0-7F2 transition reaches a maximum at x = 0.5 for y = 0 and 1.

Abstract: Analysis of the structural parameters of phases that adopt brownmillerite-type structures suggests the distribution of the different complex ordering schemes adopted within this structure type can be rationalized by considering both the size of the separation between the tetrahedral layers and the tetrahedral chain distortion angle. A systematic study using structural data obtained from La1−xAxMnO2,5 (A = Ba, Sr, Ca,) phases, prepared by the topotactic reduction of the analogous La1−xAxMnO3 perovskite phases, was performed to investigate this relationship. By manipulating the A-cation composition, both the tetrahedral layer separation and tetrahedral chain distortion angle in the La1−xAxMnO2,5 phases were controlled and from the data obtained a ¡°structure map¡± of the different brownmillerite variants was plotted as a function of these structural parameters. This map has been extended to include a wide range of reported brownmillerite phases showing the structural ideas presented are widely applicable. The complete structural characterization of La1−xAxMnO2,5 0.1 ¡Ü x ¡Ü 0.33, A = Ba; 0.15 ¡Ü x ¡Ü 0.5 A = Sr, and 0.22 ¡Ü x ¡Ü 0.5 A = Ca is described and includes compositions which exhibit complex intralayer ordered structures and Mn2+/Mn3+ charge ordering.

Abstract: Latest trends in dental restorative ceramics involve the development of full-contour 3Y-TZP ceramics which can avoid chipping of veneering porcelains. Among the challenges are the low translucency and the hydrothermal stability of 3Y-TZP ceramics. In this work, different trivalent oxides (Al2O3, Sc2O3, Nd2O3 and La2O3) were selected to dope 3Y-TZP ceramics. Results show that dopant segregation was a key factor to design hydrothermally stable and high-translucent 3Y-TZP ceramics and the cation dopant radius could be used as a controlling parameter. A large trivalent dopant, oversized as compared to Zr4+, exhibiting strong segregation at the ZrO2 grain boundary was preferred. The introduction of 0.2 mol% La2O3 in conventional 0.10.25 wt.% Al2O3-doped 3Y-TZP resulted in an excellent combination of high translucency and superior hydrothermal stability, while retaining excellent mechanical properties.

Abstract: The factors mediating cation ordering in the scheelite-based molybdates and tungstates are discussed on the basis of the incommensurately modulated crystal structures of the CaEu2(BO4)(4) (B = Mo, W) red phosphors solved from high-resolution synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction data. Monoclinic CaEu2(WO4)(4) adopts a (3 + 1)-dimensionally modulated structure [superspace group I2/b(alpha beta 0)00, a = 5.238 73(1)A, b = 5.266 35(1) A, c = 11.463 19(9) A, gamma = 91.1511(2)degrees, q = 0.56153(6)a* + 0.7708(9)b*, R-F = 0.050, R-p = 0.069], whereas tetragonal CaEu2(MoO4)(4) is (3 + 2)-dimensionally modulated [superspace group I4(1)/ a(alpha beta 0)00(-beta alpha 0)00, a = 5.238 672(7) A, c = 11.548 43(2) A, q(1) = 035331(8)a* + 0.82068(9)b*, q(2) = -0.82068(9)a* + 0.55331(8)b*, R-F = 0.061, R-p = 0.082]. In both cases the modulation arises from the ordering of the Ca/Eu cations and the cation vacancies at the A-sublattice of the parent scheelite ABO(4) structure. The cation ordering is incomplete and better described with harmonic rather than with steplike occupational modulation functions. The structures respond to the variation of the effective charge and cation size at the A-position through the flexible geometry of the MoO42- and WO42- tetrahedra demonstrating an alternation of stretching the B-O bond lengths and bending the O-B-O bond angles. The tendency towards A-site cation ordering in scheelites is rationalized using the difference in ionic radii and concentration of the A-site vacancies as parameters and presented in the form of a structure map.

Abstract: Objective. The aim was to evaluate the optical properties, mechanical properties and aging stability of yttria-stabilized zirconia with different compositions, highlighting the influence of the alumina addition, Y2O3 content and La2O3 doping on the translucency. Methods. Five different Y-TZP zirconia powders (3 commercially available and 2 experimentally modified) were sintered under the same conditions and characterized by X-ray diffraction with Rietveld analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Translucency (n = 6/group) was measured with a color meter, allowing to calculate the translucency parameter (TP) and the contrast ratio (CR). Mechanical properties were appraised with four-point bending strength (n = 10), single edge V-notched beam (SEVNB) fracture toughness (n = 8) and Vickers hardness (n = 10). The aging stability was evaluated by measuring the tetragonal to monoclinic transformation (n = 3) after accelerated hydrothermal aging in steam at 134 degrees C, and the transformation curves were fitted by the Mehl-Avrami-Johnson (MAJ) equation. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey's HSD test (alpha = 0.05). Results. Lowering the alumina content below 0.25 wt.% avoided the formation of alumina particles and therefore increased the translucency of 3Y-TZP ceramics, but the hydrothermal aging stability was reduced. A higher yttria content (5 mol%) introduced about 50% cubic zirconia phase and gave rise to the most translucent and aging-resistant Y-TZP ceramics, but the fracture toughness and strength were considerably sacrificed. 0.2 mol% La2O3 doping of 3Y-TZP tailored the grain boundary chemistry and significantly improved the aging resistance and translucency. Although the translucency improvement by La2O3 doping was less effective than for introducing a substantial amount of cubic zirconia, this strategy was able to maintain the mechanical properties of typical 3Y-TZP ceramics. Significance. Three different approaches were compared to improve the translucency of 3YTZP ceramics. (C) 2016 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abstract: A novel potassium-based fluoride-phosphate, KVPO4F, with a KTiOPO4 (KTP) type structure is synthesized and characterized. About 85% of potassium has been electrochemically extracted on oxidation producing a cathode material with attractive performance for Li-ion batteries. The material operates at the electrode potential near 4V vs Li/Li+ exhibiting a sloping voltage profile, extremely low polarization, small volume change of about 2% and excellent rate capability, maintaining more than 75% of the initial capacity at 40C discharge rate without significant fading.

Abstract: The influence of 0.25, 2 and 5 wt.% alumina addition on the mechanical properties and low temperature degradation (LTD) of 3, 2.5 and 2 mol% yttria-stabilized TZP ceramics was investigated. The amount of alumina addition was observed to have a crucial impact on the degradation of Y-TZP ceramics. Independent on the yttria stabilizer content, 0.25 wt.% alumina had a higher degradation retarding effect to Y-TZP ceramics than 2 and 5 wt.% of alumina addition, which had a comparable effect. The apparent activation energy for the degradation process was increased by adding alumina, but it was the same for 0.255 wt.% alumina doped 3Y-TZP ceramics. For Y-TZPs containing a small amount of alumina addition, only the segregated Al3+ at the grain boundaries of the zirconia grains was effective to retard the degradation of Y-TZPs. The secondary phase Al2O3 grains increased the degradation kinetics, which might be attributed to the residual stresses.

Abstract: The Ni(1+)/Ni(2+) states of nickelates have the identical (3d(9)/3d(8)) electronic configuration as Cu(2+)/Cu(3+) in the high temperature superconducting cuprates, and are expected to show interesting properties. An intriguing question is whether mimicking the electronic and structural features of cuprates would also result in superconductivity in nickelates. Here we report experimental evidence for a bulklike magnetic transition in La(4)Ni(3)O(8) at 105 K. Density functional theory calculations relate the transition to a spin density wave nesting instability of the Fermi surface.

Abstract: Mn22+Fe2+W6+O6, a new polar magnetic phase, adopts the corundum-derived Ni3TeO6-type structure with large spontaneous polarization (P-S) of 67.8 mu C cm-2, complex antiferromagnetic order below approximate to 75 K, and field-induced first-order transition to a ferrimagnetic phase below approximate to 30 K. First-principles calculations predict a ferrimagnetic (udu) ground state, optimal switching path along the c-axis, and transition to a lower energy udu-udd magnetic double cell.