Investigation of Polymorphism and Vibrational Properties of MnMoO4Microcrystals Prepared by a Hydrothermal Process

Abstract

MnMoO4 microcrystals were synthesized by hydrothermal methods, and their structural, morphological, and vibrational properties were investigated. Conventional reactors and microwave-heated hydrothermal vessels were used to synthesize micrometer-sized MnMoO4 polymorphs at different temperature and time conditions. MnMoO4·H2O crystals were obtained in both reactors at temperatures below 200 °C, for times up to 24 h. These microcrystals belong to the triclinic P1 space group, and their 26 characteristic Raman bands were identified. A monoclinic MnMoO4 polymorph belonging to the P2/c structure was synthesized at temperatures higher than 200 °C only into conventional hydrothermal reactors. Polarized micro-Raman analyses have evidenced and allowed the assignment of 18 phonon modes predicted by group-theory calculations for this polymorph. Another MnMoO4 polymorph, within the monoclinic C2/m space group, was obtained by two processing routes: (i) heating the P2/c microcrystals at 600 °C; or (ii) heating the MnM...