X-ray and neutron scattering

Abstract:

We investigated the magnetic structure and dynamics of YbMnBi2, with elastic and inelastic neutron scattering, to shed light on the topological nature of the charge carriers in the antiferromagnetic phase. We confirm C-type antiferromagnetic ordering of the Mn spins below TN = 290 K and determine that the spins point along the c axis to within about 3◦. The observed magnon spectrum can be described very well by the same effective spin Hamiltonian that was used previously to model the magnon spectrum of CaMnBi2. Our results show conclusively that the creation of Weyl nodes in YbMnBi2 by the time-reversal symmetry-breaking mechanism can be excluded in the bulk.

Abstract:

Metal-organic framework crystal-glass composites (MOF-CGCs) are materials in which a crystalline MOF is dispersed within a MOF glass. In this work, we explore the room-temperature stabilization of the open-pore form of MIL-53(Al), usually observed at high temperature, which occurs upon encapsulation within a ZIF-62(Zn) MOF glass matrix. A series of MOF-CGCs containing different loadings of MIL-53(Al) were synthesized and characterized using X-ray diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. An upper limit of MIL-53(Al) that can be stabilized in the composite was determined for the first time. The nanostructure of the composites was probed using pair distribution function analysis and scanning transmission electron microscopy. Notably, the distribution and integrity of the crystalline component in a sample series were determined, and these findings were related to the MOF-CGC gas adsorption capacity in order to identify the optimal loading necessary for maximum CO₂ sorption capacity.