A new high‐pressure strontium germanate,SrGe2O5

The Sr–Ge–O system has an earth‐scientific importance as a potentially good low‐pressure analog of the Ca–Si–O system, one of the major components in the constituent minerals of the Earth's crust and mantle. However, it is one of the germanate systems that has not yet been fully examined in the phase relations and structural properties. The recent findings that the SrGeO₃ high‐pressure perovskite phase is the first Ge‐based transparent electronic conductor make the Sr–Ge–O system interesting in the field of materials science. In the present study, we have revealed the existence of a new high‐pressure strontium germanate, SrGe₂O₅. Single crystals of this compound crystallized as a co‐existent phase with SrGeO₃ perovskite single crystals in the sample recovered in the compression experiment of SrGeO₃ pseudowollastonite conducted at 6 GPa and 1223 K. The crystal structure consists of germanium–oxygen framework layers stacked along [001], with Sr atoms located at the 12‐coordinated cuboctahedral site; the layers are formed by the corner linkages between GeO₆ octahedra and between GeO₆ octahedra and GeO₄ tetrahedra. The present SrGe₂O₅ is thus isostructural with the high‐pressure phases of SrSi₂O₅ and BaGe₂O₅. Comparison of these three compounds leads to the conclusion that the structural responses of the GeO₆ and GeO₄ polyhedra to cation substitution at the Sr site are much less than that of the SrO₁₂ cuboctahedron to cation substitution at the Ge sites. Such a difference in the structural response is closely related to the bonding nature.     

Lithium barium silicate,Li2BaSiO4, from synchrotron powder data

The structure of lithium barium silicate, Li₂BaSiO₄, has been determined from synchrotron radiation powder data. The title compound was synthesized by high‐temperature solid‐state reaction and crystallizes in the hexagonal space group P6₃cm. It contains two Li atoms, one Ba atom (both site symmetry ..m on special position 6c), two Si atoms [on special positions 4b (site symmetry 3..) and 2a (site symmetry 3.m)] and four O atoms (one on general position 12d, and three on special positions 6c, 4b and 2a). The basic units of the structure are (Li₆SiO₁₃)⁵⁻ units, each comprising seven tetrahedra sharing edges and vertices. These basic units are connected by sharing corners parallel to [001] and through sharing (SiO₄)⁴⁻ tetrahedra in (001). The relationship between the structures and luminescence properties of Li₂SrSiO₄, Li₂CaSiO₄ and the title compound is discussed.     

A new one‐dimensional strontium vanadium tellurite,Sr7V4Te12O41

Vanadium tellurites display a rich structural chemistry with interesting physical properties, such as second harmonic generation (SHG). Tellurites, i.e. Te⁴⁺O_x, are often observed in unusual structures and form various structural motifs, including isolated clusters, chains, layers, and three‐dimensional networks. Similarly, vanadates, i.e. V⁵⁺O_x, show rich structural features, such as VO₄ tetrahedra, VO₅ square pyramids or trigonal bipyramids, and VO₆ octahedra. Strontium vanadium tellurite, Sr₇V₄Te₁₂O₄₁, was obtained from the melt of the solid‐state reaction of SrTeO₄ and VO₂ in a sealed quartz tube as it cooled from 973 K. The crystal structure exhibits a one‐dimensional latticework along the a axis comprised of paired Sr₃Te₃O_x units, namely Sr₆Te₆O_2x+1, with corner‐shared TeO₄ polyhedra – and specifically the Te lone‐pair electrons – facing outward in the bc plane. The Sr₆Te₆O_2x+1 latticework is helical and is layered in the b‐axis direction against sheets of corner‐shared VO₄ tetrahedra, and is linked in the c‐axis direction via individual corner‐shared SrO₈ square prisms.     

A new layered perovskite,KSrNb2O6F,by powder neutron diffraction

The structure of a new layered oxyfluoride, viz. potassium strontium diniobium hexaoxide fluoride, KSrNb₂O₆F, was refined from powder neutron diffraction data in the orthorhombic space group Immm. The oxyfluoride compound is an n = 2 member of the Dion–Jacobson‐type family of general formula A[A′_n−1B_nX_3n+1], which consists of double layered perovskite slabs, [SrNb₂O₆F]⁻, between which K⁺ ions are located. Within the perovskite slabs, the NbO₅F octahedra are significantly distorted and tilted about the a axis. A bond‐valence‐sum calculation gives evidence for O/F ordering in KSrNb₂O₆F, with the F⁻ ions located in the central sites of the corner‐sharing NbO₅F octahedra along the b axis. All atoms lie on special positions, namely Nb on m, Sr on mmm, K on m2m, F on mm2, and O on sites of symmetry m and m2m.     

Einkristall-Röntgenstrukturanalyse von Sr3TiGa10O20

Single Crystal X-Ray Analysis of Sr₃TiGa₁₀O₂₀ Single crystals of Sr₃TiGa₁₀O₂₀ were prepared by recrystallisation of a molten oxide mixture and investigated by X-Ray technique. It crystallizes with monoclinic symmetry, space group C–C2/m, a = 15.451, b = 11.579, c = 5.051 Å, β = 108.57°, Z = 2. Sr₃TiGa₁₀O₂₀ belongs to the Pb₃GeAl₁₀O₂₀ type, showing Ga³⁺ in tetrahedral and octahedral coordination. The octahedral coordinated point positions are occupied by Ga³⁺ and Ti⁴⁺ statistically.     

Thermodynamic properties of Co3O4 and Sr6Co5O15 from first-principles

The Gibbs energy function of Sr(6)Co(5)O(15) is calculated by first-principles for use in CALPHAD thermodynamic modeling. An efficient method is employed, using the Debye-Gru?neisen model to predict the temperature dependence of the heat capacity and entropy. The equation of state from first-principles and the Debye temperature from harmonic phonon calculations by the supercell approach are taken as input. The effect of using the GGA+U approach on the results is also reported. The properties of Co(3)O(4) are predicted with this method to compare to experiments and quasi-harmonic phonon calculations and are shown to achieve the accuracy necessary for CALPHAD modeling.     

Low-temperature Na4Ti5O12 from X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data

The crystal structure of the low-temperature Na₄Ti₅O₁₂ (tetra­sodium penta­titanium dodeca­oxide) phase has been solved and refined from X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data at 295 K. The structure is trigonal, space group P3, with Z = 1, although it is pseudo-centrosymmetric. The O and Na atoms form a distorted close-packed structure, where Ti atoms occupy octahedral sites.     

Two new structurally related strontium gallium nitrides: Sr4GaN3O and Sr4GaN3(CN2)

The strontium gallium oxynitride Sr(4)GaN(3)O and nitride-carbodiimide Sr(4)GaN(3)(CN(2)) are reported, synthesized as single crystals from molten sodium at 900 degrees C. Red Sr(4)GaN(3)O crystallizes in space group Pbca (No. 61) with a = 7.4002(1) Angstroms, b = 24.3378(5) Angstroms, c = 7.4038(1) Angstroms, and Z = 8, as determined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements at 150 K. The structure may be viewed as consisting of slabs [Sr(4)GaN(3)](2+) containing double layers of isolated [GaN(3)](6-) triangular anions arranged in a "herringbone" fashion, and these slabs are separated by O(2-) anions. Brown Sr(4)GaN(3)(CN(2)) has a closely related structure in which the oxide anions in the Sr(4)GaN(3)O structure are replaced by almost linear carbodiimide [CN(2)](2-) anions [Sr(4)GaN(3)(CN(2)): space group P2(1)/c (No. 14), a = 13.4778(2) Angstroms, b = 7.4140(1) Angstroms, c = 7.4440(1) Angstroms, beta = 98.233(1) degrees, and Z = 4].     

Low-spin state structure of [Fe(chloroethyltetrazole)6](BF4)2 obtained from synchrotron powder diffraction data

The complex [Fe(teec)6](BF4)2 (teec = chloroethyltetrazole) shows a two-step complete spin-crossover transition in the temperature range 300-90 K. Time-resolved synchrotron powder diffraction experiments have been carried out in this temperature range, and crystal structure models have been obtained from the powder patterns by using the parallel tempering technique. Of these models, the low-spin state structure at 90 K has been refined completely with Rietveld refinement. Its structural characteristics are discussed in relation to the high-spin state model and other spin-crossover compounds. The complex shows a remarkable anisotropic unit-cell parameter contraction that is dependent on the applied cooling rate. In addition, the possible important implications for the interpretation of spin-crossover behavior in terms of structural changes are discussed.     

High-spin- and low-spin-state structures of [Fe(chloroethyltetrazole)6](ClO4)2 from synchrotron powder diffraction data

The spin-crossover complex [Fe(teec)(6)](ClO(4))(2) (teec = chloroethyltetrazole) exhibits a 50 % incomplete spin crossover in the temperature range 300-30 K. Time-resolved synchrotron powder diffraction experiments have been carried out to elucidate its structural behavior. We report crystal structure models of this material at 300 K (high spin) and 90 K (low spin), as solved from synchrotron powder diffraction data by using Genetic Algorithm and Parallel Tempering techniques and refined with Rietveld refinement. During short synchrotron powder diffraction experiments (five minutes duration) two distinguishable lattices were observed the quantities of which vary with temperature. The implication of this phenomenon, that is interpreted as a structural phase transition associated with the high-to-low spin crossover, and the structural characteristics of the high-spin and low-spin models are discussed in relation to other compounds showing a similar type of spin-crossover behavior.     

12‐Membered borophosphate rings in KNi5[P6B6O23(OH)13]

The title compound, potassium pentanickel hexaborophosphate tridecahydroxide, was synthesized under hydrothermal conditions from the NiCl₂–K₃PO₄–B₂O₃–K₂CO₃–H₂O system. The crystal structure was determined using single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction at 100 K. The KNi₅[P₆B₆O₂₃(OH)₁₃] phase is cubic. For the three crystallographically distinct Ni centers, two occupy sites with 3 symmetry, while the third Ni and the K atom are located on sites. The structure is built from alternating borate and phosphate tetrahedra forming 12‐membered puckered rings with K⁺ ions at the centers. These rings are arranged as in cubic dense sphere packing. A novel feature of the new crystal structure is the presence of linear trimers of face‐sharing [NiO₆] octahedra occupying the octahedral interstices of this sphere packing, and of single [NiO₆] octahedra in the tetrahedral interstices. All oxygen corners of the Ni octahedra are linked to phosphate or borate tetrahedra of the 12‐membered rings to form a mixed anionic framework.