Inorganic–organic hybridization induced uniaxial zero thermal expansion in MC4O4 (M = Ba, Pb)

Abstract

We report two inorganic–organic hybrid materials with pillar-layered architectures, BaC₄O₄ and PbC₄O₄, which show uniaxial zero thermal expansion (ZTE) along the hybrid direction over a wide temperature range. The local structure and lattice dynamic investigations reveal that the ZTE derives from the cooperation of the NTE of the inorganic Ba–O (or Pb–O) layer and the PTE of the squarate pillar.