Phase behaviour of ammonium bromide-d 4 under high pressure and low temperature; an average and local structure study

Abstract

Abstract We revisit the pressure-induced order–disorder transition between phases II and IV in ammonium bromide-d 4 using neutron diffraction measurements to characterise both the average and local structures. We identify a very sluggish transition that does not proceed to full conversion and local structure correlations indicate a slight preference for ammonium cation ordering along ⟨110⟩ crystallographic directions, as pressure is increased. Simultaneous cooling below ambient temperature appears to facilitate the pressure-induced transition. Variable-temperature, ambient-pressure measurements across the IV → III → II transitions show slower conversion than previously observed, and that phase III exhibits metastability above ambient temperature.