Pressure-Induced Variation of the Crystal Stacking Order in the Hydrogen-Bonded Quasi-Two-Dimensional Layered Material Cu(OH)Cl

The crystal stacking order plays a crucial role in determining the structure and physical properties of 2D layered materials. A variation in the stacking sequence of adjacent 2D building blocks causes drastic changes in their functionalities. In this work, the structural variation of belloite (Cu(OH)Cl), as a function of pressure, is presented. Through in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering studies, in combination with first-principles theoretical simulations, a structural transformation from the initial monoclinic phase into an orthorhombic one has been established at 18.7 GPa, featuring variations in the stacking sequence of the tectonic monolayers. In the monoclinic phase, they are arranged in an AAAA sequence. While in the orthorhombic phase, the monolayers are stacked in an ABAB sequence. Such phenomena are similar to those observed in van der Waals 2D materials, with pressure-induced changes in the stacking order between layers. In addition, an isostructural phase transition within the initial monoclinic phase is also observed to occur at 12.9-16 GPa, which is associated with layer-sliding and a change in hydrogen bond configuration. These results show that Cu(OH)Cl, as well as other hydrogen-bonded 2D layered materials, can provide a convenient platform for studying the effects of the crystal stacking order.