ANISOTROPIC ELECTRICAL BEHAVIOR OF BLUE POTASSIUM MOLYBDENUM BRONZE K0.30MOO3

Cleavable platelets of the blue potassium molybdenum bronze, K0·30MoO3, were prepared by the electrolysis of mixtures of potassium molybdate and molybdenum (VI) oxide. X-ray diffraction studies were performed in order to relate the morphological habit of these crystals to the actual crystal structure. Results of the X-ray study and considerations of crystal structure motivated an investigation of the electrical resistivity along certain significant crystallographic directions. An anisotropy in the electrical resistivity of approximately 1-1/2-2 orders of magnitude was observed throughout the temperature range 80°-340°K. In addition, a change from semiconducting to metallic behavior, which occurs at approximately 180°K, was also sensitive to sample orientation. © 1969.