Isotope-dependent crystalline phases at ambient temperature: Spectroscopic and calorimetric evidence for a deuteration-induced phase transition at 320 K in α-DCrO2

The heat capacities of HCrO2 and DCrO2 have been measured at temperatures between 5 and 360 K. A lambda anomaly occurred at 320 K for DCrO2 but not for HCrO2. Infrared spectra were recorded at temperatures between 5 and 405 K. The spectrum of DCrO2 changed at 320 K with respect to the peak wave-number and splitting of some of the vibrations, while those of HCrO2 depended smoothly on temperature. These experimental results are discussed in terms of a deuteration-induced phase transition.