Temperature Evolution of Sodium Nitrite Structure in a Restricted Geometry

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The NaNO₂ nanocomposite ferroelectric material in porous glass was studied by neutron diffraction. For the first time the details of the crystal structure including positions and anisotropic thermal parameters were determined for the solid material, embedded in a porous matrix, in ferro- and paraelectric phases. It is demonstrated that in the ferroelectric phase the structure is consistent with bulk data but above transition temperature the giant growth of amplitudes of thermal vibrations is observed, resulting in the formation of a "premelted state". Such a conclusion is in a good agreement with the results of dielectric measurements published earlier.