Synthesis and Properties of the Negative Thermal Expansion Material Cubic ZrMo2O8

A new phase, cubic ZrMo2O8, has been prepared by the low-temperature dehydration of ZrMo2O7(OH)2·2H2O. This material displays isotropic negative linear thermal expansion (α = −5.0 × 10-6 K-1) over a large temperature range. Unlike the previously reported cubic ZrW2O8, it does not undergo any phase transformations on heating at atmospheric pressure, and it does not display any pressure-induced phase transformations below 0.6 GPa at room temperature.