Investigation of the structural conditionality for changes in physical properties of K3H(SO4)2 crystals

Abstract

With the aim of elucidating the nature of anomalies in the physical properties of K3H(SO4)2 crystals that arise as the temperature grows, the dielectric and optical properties of the crystals are studied, an X-ray diffraction analysis of single-crystal and polycrystalline specimens are performed, and the morphology and chemical composition are studied by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. As a result of the studies performed, a phase transition from the phase with the monoclinic symmetry (space group C2/c) to the phase with the trigonal symmetry (space group R $$ \bar 3 $$ m) is found in a number of K3H(SO4)2 specimens at a temperature of ≈457 K, the responsibility of the dynamically disordered hydrogen-bond system for the rise of high proton conductivity in the high-temperature phases of the crystals of this family is confirmed, and data on the solid-phase reactions proceeding at high temperatures are obtained.