Pressure-induced abnormal ionic-polaronic-ionic transition sequences in AgBr

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2018 Mar 14;20(11):7492-7497. doi: 10.1039/c7cp07830g.

Abstract

The electrical transport behavior of the superionic conductor AgBr was systematically studied under high pressure up to 30.0 GPa with electrochemical impedance spectra measurements and first-principles calculations. From impedance spectra measurements, a pressure-induced abnormal ionic-polaronic-ionic transition was found. Herein, the ionic to polaronic transition at 5.0 GPa occurs with the absence of a structural phase transition. At 8.6 GPa, the ionic state of AgBr can be reactivated after a structural phase transition. Previous structural studies based on X-ray diffraction data cannot provide strong evidence to support the ionic-polaronic transition in AgBr at 5.0 GPa. In this paper, based on first-principles calculations, a localized-electron-soup model was proposed to explain the physical origin of the ionic-polaronic transition. In this model, more localized electrons around the Br atoms are pressed into interstitial spaces and, simultaneously, polarons are formed between Ag+ ions and the localized electron background at 5.0 GPa. Therefore, the diffusion of Ag+ ions is effectively screened by the movement of the localized electron background from its equilibrium position, much like beans completely trapped in a cup of thick soup.