Study of Ba3M(II)M(IV)WO9 (M(II) = Ca, Zn; M(IV) = Ti, Zr) perovskite oxides: competition between 3C and 6H perovskite structures

We describe an investigation of Ba3MIIMIVWO9 oxides for MII = Ca, Zn, and other divalent metals and MIV = Ti, Zr. In general, a 1:2-ordered 6H (hexagonal, P63/mmc) perovskite structure is stabilized at high temperatures (1300 degrees C) for all of the Ba3MIITiWO9 oxides investigated. An intermediate phase possessing a partially ordered 1:1 double perovskite (3C) structure with the cation distribution, Ba2(Zn2/3Ti1/3)(W2/3Ti1/3)O6, is obtained at 1200 degrees C for Ba3ZnTiWO9. Sr substitution for Ba in the latter stabilizes the cubic 3C structure instead of the 6H structure. A metastable Ba3CaZrWO9 that adopts the 3C (cubic, Fmm) structure has also been synthesized by a low-temperature metathesis route. Besides yielding several new perovskite oxides that may be useful as dielectric ceramics, the present investigation provides new insights into the complex interplay of crystal chemistry (tolerance factor) and chemical bonding (anion polarization and d0-induced distortion of metal-oxygen octahedra) in the stabilization of 6H versus 3C perovskite structures for the Ba3MIIMIVWO9 series.