Alternative current conduction mechanisms of organic-inorganic compound N(CH3)3H2CuCl4

The N(CH3)3H2CuCl4 single crystal has been analyzed by X-ray powder diffraction patterns, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and electrical impedance spectroscopy. N(CH3)3H2CuCl4 crystallizes at room temperature in the monoclinic system with P21/C space group. Three phase transitions at T1 = 226 K, T2 = 264 K, and T3 = 297 K have been evidenced by DSC measurements. The electrical technique was measured in the 10−1–107 Hz frequency range and 203–313 K temperature intervals. The frequency dependence of alternative current (AC) conductivity is interpreted in terms of Jonscher's law (developed). The AC electrical conduction in N(CH3)3H2CuCl4 compound is studied by two processes which can be attributed to a hopping transport mechanism: the correlated barrier hopping model in phases I, II, and III, the non-overlapping small polaron tunneling model in phase IV. The conduction mechanism is interpreted with the help of Elliot's theory, and the Elliot's parameters are found.