ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Data Journal
This is a page describing data taken during an experiment at the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source. Information about the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source can be found at https://www.isis.stfc.ac.uk.
Structure-property relationships in Wittichenite-related phases with ultra-low thermal conductivity
Abstract: Cu3BiS3 adopts a complex structure in which three distinct trigonal planar sites are partially occupied by copper ions. This, together with the presence of the heavy metal bismuth and its lone pair which introduces anharmonicity results in an exceptionally-low thermal conductivity of 0.38 W-1 m-1 K-1 at room temperature. This decreases on heating, reaching a minimum value at ca. 423 K, before rising at higher temperatures. Partial substitution of copper by silver reduces the thermal conductivity by up to 26% to ultra-low values of 0.2 W m-1 K-1 at room temperature, while retaining the same temperature dependence as that of the parent phase. DSC data show clear evidence of a phase transition in the region of the minimum in thermal conductivity. Moreover, DSC reveals the existence of a second phase transition in the parent phase at sub-ambient temperatures (250 K) that persists at low levels of silver substitution (x <= 0.08). We wish to use powder neutron diffraction to investigate the detailed structure of the silver-substituted phases, including site preferences for substitution, the evolution of structure through the phase transitions identified by DSC and the relationship of the higher temperature transition to the minimum in thermal conductivity.
Principal Investigator: Professor Anthony Powell
Experimenter: Mr Nasir Alzzahrani
Experimenter: Dr Paz Vaqueiro-Rodriguez
Local Contact: Dr Ronald Smith
DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2520194
ISIS Experiment Number: RB2520194
| Part DOI | Instrument | Public release date | Download Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2520194-1 | POLARIS | 23 March 2029 | Download |
Publisher: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source
Data format: RAW/Nexus
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Data Citation
The recommended format for citing this dataset in a research
publication is as:
[author], [date], [title], [publisher],
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For Example:
Professor Anthony Powell et al; (2026): Structure-property relationships in Wittichenite-related phases with ultra-low thermal conductivity, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, https://doi.org/10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2520194
Data is released under the CC-BY-4.0 license.
