Sc- and W-substitution and tuning of phase transition in the Al2Mo3O12

Al₂Mo₃O₁₂ is a typical negative thermal expansion (NTE) material, whose thermal expansion behavior depends on its crystal phase. The thermal shock caused by temperature-induced phase transition limits its wide application. The two series of Al_{2. x}Sc_xMo₃O₁₂ (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) and Al₂Mo_3-xW_xO₁₂ (0 ≤ x ≤ 2.5) solid solutions with controllable phase transition temperature were synthesized via single cation substitution at the A or B position. The problem of thermal shock caused by the change of temperature is effectively solved in the synthesized Al_1.6Sc_0.4Mo₃O₁₂ and Al₂Mo_0.5W_2.5O₁₂, showing stable NTE performance above room temperature, and the coefficients of thermal expansion of which are ?2.19 × 10^?6 °C^?1 in 100–550 °C and ?4.25 × 10^?6 °C^?1 in 85–500 °C, respectively. A-site cation substitution is a more effective way to tune the thermal expansion properties of Al₂Mo₃O₁₂, which is attributed to the fact that the bond strength of A-O is weaker than that of B–O in the compound.