Structural, electrical and magnetic properties of transition metal nickel oxides

Neutron powder diffraction, high pressure, magnetic susceptibility, and heat capacity measurements, as well as x-ray powder diffraction and iodometric titration, have been conducted on transition metal nickel oxides (TMOs), representative Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) phases Lan+1NinO3n+1 (n = 1, 2, ..., infinity) and hole-doped La2-xSr xNiO4 (0 < x < 1.2). The first complete study of La 2-xSrxNiO4 (0 < x < 1.2) and La n+1NinO3n+1 (n = 2 and 3) phases under high pressure is produced. Strong direct experimental evidence for polaron dominated electrical conduction in these charge transfer (CT) gap La2-xSr xNiO4 compounds is provided. Temperature evolution of the crystal structure of La2-xSrxNiO4 (x = 1/4 and 1/3) is revealed through neutron powder diffraction, structural relationships among n = 1, 2, and 3 phases are exhibited, and charge density wave (CDW) in multilayer Lan+1NinO3n+1 phases is strongly suggested. No superconductivity is observed at pressures up to 1.6 GPa and temperatures down to 4.2 K.