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Abstract: The Li3MX6 compounds (M=Sc, Y, In; X=Cl, Br) are known as promising ionic conductors due to their compatibility with typical metal oxide cathode materials. In this study, we have successfully synthesized γ‐Li3ScCl6 using high pressure for the first time in this family. Structural analysis revealed that the high‐pressure polymorph crystallizes in the polar and chiral space group P63mc with hexagonal close‐packing (hcp) of anions, unlike the ambient‐pressure α‐Li3ScCl6 and its spinel analog with cubic closed packing (ccp) of anions. Investigation of the known Li3MX6 family further revealed that the cation/anion radius ratio, rM/rX, is the factor that determines which anion sublattice is formed and that in γ‐Li3ScCl6, the difference in compressibility between Sc and Cl exceeds the ccp rM/rX threshold under pressure, enabling the ccp‐to‐hcp conversion. Electrochemical tests of γ‐Li3ScCl6 demonstrate improved electrochemical reduction stability. These findings open up new avenues and design principles for lithium solid electrolytes, enabling routes for materials exploration and tuning electrochemical stability without compositional changes or the use of coatings.

The Li3MX6 compounds (M = Sc, Y, In; X = Cl, Br) are known as promising ionic conductors due to their compatibility with typical metal oxide cathode materials. In this study, we have successfully synthesized γ-Li3ScCl6 using high pressure for the first time in this family. Structural analysis revealed that the high-pressure polymorph crystallizes in the polar and chiral space group P63mc with hexagonal close-packing (hcp) of anions, unlike the ambient-pressure a-Li3ScCl6 and its spinel analog with cubic closed packing (ccp) of anions. Investigation of the known Li3MX6 family further revealed that the cation/anion radius ratio, rM/rX, is the factor that determines which anion sublattice is formed and that in γ-Li3ScCl6, the difference in compressibility between Sc and Cl exceeds the rM/rX threshold under pressure, enabling the ccp-to-hcp conversion. Electrochemical tests of γ-Li3ScCl6 demonstrate improved electrochemical reduction stability. These findings open up new avenues and design principles for lithium solid electrolytes, enabling routes for materials exploration and tuning electrochemical stability without compositional changes or the use of coatings.

The Li3MX6 compounds (M=Sc, Y, In; X=Cl, Br) are known as promising ionic conductors due to their compatibility with typical metal oxide cathode materials. In this study, we have successfully synthesized γ‐Li3ScCl6 using high pressure for the first time in this family. Structural analysis revealed that the high‐pressure polymorph crystallizes in the polar and chiral space group P63mc with hexagonal close‐packing (hcp) of anions, unlike the ambient‐pressure α‐Li3ScCl6 and its spinel analog with cubic closed packing (ccp) of anions. Investigation of the known Li3MX6 family further revealed that the cation/anion radius ratio, rM/rX, is the factor that determines which anion sublattice is formed and that in γ‐Li3ScCl6, the difference in compressibility between Sc and Cl exceeds the ccp rM/rX threshold under pressure, enabling the ccp‐to‐hcp conversion. Electrochemical tests of γ‐Li3ScCl6 demonstrate improved electrochemical reduction stability. These findings open up new avenues and design principles for lithium solid electrolytes, enabling routes for materials exploration and tuning electrochemical stability without compositional changes or the use of coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Li3MX6 compounds (M=Sc, Y, In; X=Cl, Br) are known as promising ionic conductors due to their compatibility with typical metal oxide cathode materials. In this study, we have successfully synthesized γ‐Li3ScCl6 using high pressure for the first time in this family. Structural analysis revealed that the high‐pressure polymorph crystallizes in the polar and chiral space group P63mc with hexagonal close‐packing (hcp) of anions, unlike the ambient‐pressure α‐Li3ScCl6 and its spinel analog with cubic closed packing (ccp) of anions. Investigation of the known Li3MX6 family further revealed that the cation/anion radius ratio, rM/rX, is the factor that determines which anion sublattice is formed and that in γ‐Li3ScCl6, the difference in compressibility between Sc and Cl exceeds the ccp rM/rX threshold under pressure, enabling the ccp‐to‐hcp conversion. Electrochemical tests of γ‐Li3ScCl6 demonstrate improved electrochemical reduction stability. These findings open up new avenues and design principles for lithium solid electrolytes, enabling routes for materials exploration and tuning electrochemical stability without compositional changes or the use of coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed‐anion compounds have attracted growing attentions, but their synthesis is challenging, making a rational search desirable. Here, we explored LaF3‐LaX3 (X=Cl, Br, I) system using ab initio structure searches based on evolutionary algorithms, and predicted LaF2X and LaFX2 (X=Br, I), which are respectively isostructural with LaHBr2 and YH2I, consisting of layered La‐F blocks with single and double ordered honeycomb lattices, separated by van der Waals gaps. We successfully synthesized these compounds: LaF2Br and LaFI2 crystallize in the predicted structure, while LaF2I is similar to the predicted one but with different layer stacking. LaF2I exhibits fluoride ion conductivity comparable to that of non‐doped LaF3, and has the potential to show better ionic conductivity upon appropriate doping, given the theoretically lower diffusion energy barrier and the presence of soft iodine anions. This study shows the structure prediction using evolutionary algorithms will accelerate the discovery of mixed‐anion compounds in future, in particular those with an ordered anion arrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed‐anion compounds have attracted growing attentions, but their synthesis is challenging, making a rational search desirable. Here, we explored LaF3‐LaX3 (X=Cl, Br, I) system using ab initio structure searches based on evolutionary algorithms, and predicted LaF2X and LaFX2 (X=Br, I), which are respectively isostructural with LaHBr2 and YH2I, consisting of layered La‐F blocks with single and double ordered honeycomb lattices, separated by van der Waals gaps. We successfully synthesized these compounds: LaF2Br and LaFI2 crystallize in the predicted structure, while LaF2I is similar to the predicted one but with different layer stacking. LaF2I exhibits fluoride ion conductivity comparable to that of non‐doped LaF3, and has the potential to show better ionic conductivity upon appropriate doping, given the theoretically lower diffusion energy barrier and the presence of soft iodine anions. This study shows the structure prediction using evolutionary algorithms will accelerate the discovery of mixed‐anion compounds in future, in particular those with an ordered anion arrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike perovskite oxides, antiperovskites M3HCh and M3FCh (M = Li, Na; Ch = S, Se, Te) mostly retain their ideal cubic structure over a wide range of compositions owing to anionic size flexibility and low-energy phonon modes that promote their ionic conductivity. In this study, we show the synthesis of potassium-based antiperovskites K3HTe and K3FTe and discuss the structural features in comparison with lithium and sodium analogues. It is shown experimentally and theoretically that both compounds maintain a cubic symmetry and can be prepared at ambient pressure, in contrast to most of the reported M3HCh and M3FCh which require high pressure synthesis. A systematic comparison of a series of cubic M3HTe and M3FTe (M = Li, Na, K) revealed that telluride anions contract in the order of K, Na, Li, with a pronounced contraction in the Li system. This result can be understood in terms of the difference in charge density of alkali metal ions as well as the size flexibility of Ch anions, contributing to the stability of the cubic symmetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layered bismuth oxyhalides with bilayered (Bi2O2) fluorite (FL) slabs are promising visible‐light photocatalysts because of their excellent stability and the ability to adjust band levels depending on the layers combined. It is interesting to manipulate the Bi2O2 slab itself, but only trilayered FL blocks (e.g., Bi3O4) are reported so far. Here, a structurally uncharacterized Bi12O17Cl2, which is extensively studied as a photocatalyst for a variety of reactions, has a sextuple Bi6O8.5 block separated by Cl is shown. Unlike double and triple layered cases, the inner region of the Bi6O8.5 block contains 1D rock‐salt (RS) units in the FL matrix along the a‐axis, causing in‐plane corrugation. A topochemical reaction involving anion‐exchange gives Bi12O17–0.5xFxCl2 (x ≤ 6) with alternate FL and RS slabs along the c‐axis. The elimination of the structural corrugation increases higher photo‐conductivity and improves photocatalytic activity against acetic acid decomposition under visible light irradiation. This study paves new opportunities of controlling the properties of layered bismuth oxyhalides by the thickness of Bi–O block, FL/RS configuration, and structural modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]