Low temperature synthesis using modulated elemental reactants: a new metastable ternary compound, NixMoSe2

Abstract

Abstract We report the synthesis of a new metastable ternary compound Ni x MoSe 2 , prepared from a modulated elemental reactant. The initially modulated elemental reactants containing alternating layers of Ni, Mo, and Se were prepared by high vacuum deposition onto an ambient temperature substrate. Annealing the initial reactant resulted in a crystalline product with a MoSe 2 type structure over a wide composition range. The c lattice parameter varied with x , suggesting that the Ni is located in van der Waals gap within the MoSe 2 structure. The Ni intercalated structure was confirmed by a least squares fit of X-ray diffraction intensities to the proposed structure. Magnetic susceptibility measurements demonstrate that the compound orders antiferromagnetically. X-ray diffraction studies reveal the decomposition of Ni x MoSe 2 and the formation of crystalline Ni on annealing above 300 °C.