X-ray study of [N(CH3)4]2ZnCl4 at low temperatures

Abstract

The unit cell parameters a, b, and c of [N(CH3)4]2ZnCl4 have been measured by x-ray diffraction in the temperature range 80–293 K. Temperature dependences of the thermal expansion coefficients αa, αb, and αc along the principal crystallographic axes and of the unit cell thermal expansion coefficient αV were determined. It is shown that the a=f(T), b=f(T), and c=f(T) curves exhibit anomalies in the form of jumps at phase transition temperatures T1=161 K and T2=181 K and that the phase transition occurring at T3=276 K manifests itself in the a=f(T) and b=f(T) curves as a break. A slight anisotropy in the coefficient of thermal expansion of the crystal was revealed. The phase transitions occurring at T1=161 K and T2=181 K in [N(CH3)4]2ZnCl4 were established to be first-order.