Local structure and controllable thermal expansion in the solid solution (Mn1−xNix)ZrF6

Abstract

It is an interesting but challenge issue to prepare isotropic controllable thermal expansion materials with a wide coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) range. Herein we report controllable thermal expansion in the double ReO₃-type (Mn_1−xNi_x)ZrF₆ solid solutions, whose CTE varies from −4.4 to +15.5 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ (300–700 K). In particular, zero thermal expansion has been obtained in the composition of (Mn_0.6Ni_0.4)ZrF₆. (Mn_1−xNi_x)ZrF₆ exhibits full solid solution character. The thermal expansion of (Mn_1−xNi_x)ZrF₆ is adjusted by the flexibility of the atomic linkages, which is confirmed by the technique of temperature-dependent high-energy synchrotron X-ray pair distribution function.