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Free keywords:
Alkali metal oxides; Thermal decomposition; Synthesis of alkali metal sesquioxides; Alkali metals
Abstract:
Rb4O6 and Cs4O6 represent open shell p electron systems, featuring charge, spin, orbital and structural degrees of freedom, which makes them unique candidates for studying the ordering processes related, otherwise exclusively encountered in transition metal based materials. Probing the physical responses has been restrained by the intricacy of synthesizing appropriate amounts of phase pure samples. Tracing the thermal decomposition of respective superoxides has revealed that at least the rubidium and cesium sesquioxides exist in thermodynamic equilibrium, appropriate p-T conditions given. These insights have paved the way to highly efficient and convenient access to Rb4O6 and Cs4O6.