The effect of glass additives on the microwave dielectric properties of Ba(Mg1/3Ta2/3)O3 ceramics

The effect of glass additives on the densification, phase evolution, microstructure and microwave dielectric properties of Ba(Mg_1/3Ta_2/3)O₃ (BMT) was investigated. Different weight percentages of quenched glass such as B₂O₃, SiO₂, B₂O₃-SiO₂, ZnO-B₂O₃, 5ZnO-2B₂O₃, Al₂O₃-SiO₂, Na₂O-2B₂O₃·10H₂O, BaO-B₂O₃-SiO₂, MgO-B₂O₃-SiO₂, PbO-B₂O₃-SiO₂, ZnO-B₂O₃-SiO₂ and 2MgO-Al₂O₃-5SiO₂ were added to calcined BMT precursor. The sintering temperature of the glass-added BMT samples were lowered down to 1300 °C compared to solid-state sintering where the temperature was 1650 °C. The formation of high temperature satellite phases such as Ba₅Ta₄O₁₅ and Ba₇Ta₆O₂₂ were found to be suppressed by the glass addition. Addition of glass systems such as B₂O₃, ZnO-B₂O₃, 5ZnO-2B₂O₃ and ZnO-B₂O₃-SiO₂ improved the densification and microwave dielectric properties. Other glasses were found to react with BMT to form low-Q phases which prevented densification. The microwave dielectric properties of undoped BMT with a densification of 93.1% of the theoretical density were ε_r=24.8, and Q_u×f=80,000. The BMT doped with 1.0 wt% of B₂O₃ has Q_u×f=124,700, ε_r=24.2, and . The unloaded Q factor of 0.2 wt% ZnO-B₂O₃-doped BMT was 136,500 GHz while that of 1.0 wt% of 5ZnO-2B₂O₃ added ceramic was Q_u×f=141,800 GHz. The best microwave quality factor was observed for ZnO-B₂O₃-SiO₂ (ZBS) glass-added ceramics which can act as a perfect liquid-phase medium for the sintering of BMT. The microwave dielectric properties of 0.2 wt% ZBS-added BMT dielectric was Q_u×f=152,800 GHz, ε_r=25.5, and .     

The activity of sodium oxide in molten float glass by EMF measurements

The Na₂O activity in the molten float glass composed of 13.2 m/o Na₂O, 70.2 m/o SiO₂, 10.0 m/o CaO, 5.9 m/o MgO, etc. was determined in the temperature range from 1260 to 1380 K by means of galvanic cells using Na-β″-alumina as solid electrolyte. The Na₂O activity, a_Na2O, accompanying the reaction Na₂O (dissolved in Na₂O-WO₃ melt)=Na₂O (dissolved in molten glass) was found to be given by as a function of temperature, and the relative partial molar enthalpy of Na₂O was calculated to be .     

Crystal structure of the ‘mixed-layer’ Aurivillius phase Bi5TiNbWO15

The crystal structure of the Aurivillius phase Bi₅TiNbWO₁₅ has been analyzed in detail using powder X-ray and neutron diffraction. The structure can be described as a regular intergrowth of alternating single and double perovskite-like layers sandwiched between fluorite-like bismuth oxide layers, such that the layer sequence is … [WO₄]-[Bi₂O₂]-[BiTiNbO₇]-[Bi₂O₂] …. There is complete ordering of tungsten within the B sites of the single perovskite layer, so that the structure can be described as a direct intergrowth of the ‘component’ Aurivillius phases Bi₂WO₆ and Bi₃TiNbO₉. At 25 °C the structure adopts the polar orthorhombic space group I2cm, , , .     

Crystallization and second harmonic generation in thermally poled niobium borophosphate glasses

Crystallization of glasses with compositions (1−x)(0.95 NaPO₃+0.05 Na₂B₄O₇)+xNb₂O₅, x=0.4, 0.43, 0.45, 0.48 was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray powder diffraction. Crystallization of two phases was observed in the glasses with x=0.43-0.48. First phase is a sodium niobate with the structure of tetragonal tungsten bronze () and second phase is Na₄Nb₈P₄O₃₂ (). The crystallization of sodium niobate is correlated with increasing of nonlinear optical efficiency reported for thermally poled glasses with x>0.4. The results of Raman spectroscopy show the formation of three-dimensional (3D) niobium oxide framework in the glasses with increase of niobium concentration. This framework is supposed to have tetragonal tungsten bronze structure and to be responsible for nonlinear optical properties of the glass. Second harmonic generation signals of as prepared and crystallized glass after thermal poling are compared. The nucleation and crystallization do not improve the NLO properties of the glasses under study.     

Synthesis, crystal structure and optical properties of BiMgVO5

The new vanadate BiMgVO₅ has been prepared and its structure has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction: space group P2₁/n, , , , β=107.38(5)°, wR₂=0.0447, R=0.0255. The structure consists of [Mg₂O₁₀] and [Bi₂O₁₀] dimers sharing their corners with [VO₄] tetrahedra. The ranges of bond lengths are 2.129-2.814 Å for Bi-O; 2.035-2.167 Å for Mg-O and 1.684-1.745 Å for V-O. V-O bond lengths determined from Raman band wavenumbers are between 1.679 and 1.747 Å. An emission band overlapping the entire visible region with a maximum around 650 nm is observed.     

Synthesis, crystal structures and ionic conductivities of Bi14P4O31 and Bi50V4O85. Two members of the series Bi18−4mM4mO27+4m (M=P, V) related to the fluorite-type structure

The two hitherto unknown compounds Bi₁₄P₄O₃₁ and Bi₅₀V₄O₈₅ were prepared by the direct solid-state reaction of Bi₂O₃ and (NH₄)H₂PO₄ or V₂O₅, respectively. Bi₁₄P₄O₃₁ crystallizes in a C-centred monoclinic symmetry (C2/c space group) with the unit-cell parameters: , , and β=93.63(1)° (Z=16). The symmetry of Bi₅₀V₄O₈₅ is also monoclinic (I2/m space group) with lattice parameters of , , and β=90.14(1)° (Z=2). Both structures correspond to a fluorite-type superstructure where the Bi and P or V atoms are ordered in the framework. An idealized structural model is proposed where the structures result of the stacking of mixed atomic layers of composition [Bi₁₄M₄O₃₁] and [Bi₁₈O₂₇] respectively. This new family can be formulated Bi_18−4mM_4mO_27+4m with M=P, V and where the parameter m (0?m?1) represents the ratio of the number of [Bi₁₄M₄O₃₁] layers to the total number of layers in the sequence. Bi₁₄P₄O₃₁ corresponds to m=1 when Bi₅₀V₈O₈₅ corresponds to m=1/3. In this last case, the structural sequence is simply one [Bi₁₄V₄O₃₁] layer to two [Bi₁₈O₂₇] layers. As predicted by the proposed structural building principle, Bi₁₄P₄O₃₁ is not a good ionic conductor. The conductivity at 650 °C is 4 orders of magnitude lower from those found in Bi₄₆M₈O₈₉ (M=P, V) (m=2/3) and Bi₅₀V₄O₈₅ (m=1/3).     

The disordered structures and low temperature dielectric relaxation properties of two misplaced-displacive cubic pyrochlores found in the Bi2O3-MO-Nb2O5 (M=Mg, Ni) systems

The disordered structures and low temperature dielectric relaxation properties of Bi_1.667Mg_0.70Nb_1.52O₇ (BMN) and Bi_1.67Ni_0.75Nb_1.50O₇ (BNN) misplaced-displacive cubic pyrochlores found in the Bi₂O₃-M^IIO-Nb₂O₅ (M=Mg, Ni) systems are reported. As for other recently reported Bi-pyrochlores, the metal ion vacancies are found to be confined to the pyrochlore A site. The B₂O₆ octahedral sub-structure is found to be fully occupied and well-ordered. Considerable displacive disorder, however, is found associated with the O′A₂ tetrahedral sub-structure in both cases. The A-site ions were displaced from Wyckoff position 16d (, , ) to 96 h (, , ) while the O′ oxygen was shifted from position 8b (, , ) to Wyckoff position 32e (, , ). The refined displacement magnitudes off the 16d and 8b sites for the A and O′ sites were 0.408 Å/0.423 Å and 0.350 Å/0.369 Å for BMN/BNN, respectively.     

Ab initio structure determination and Rietveld refinement of Bi10Mo3O24 the member n=3 of the Bi2n+4MonO6(n+1) series

Bi₂O₃-MoO₃ system shows a large panoply of phases depending on Bi/Mo ratio, among them, the low temperature phases of the homologous series Bi_2(n+2)Mo_nO_6(n+1) with n=3, 4, 5 and 6. They exhibit, alike most of the phases of this system, strong fluorite sub-network. Nevertheless, a multitechnique approach has been followed in order to solve the crystal structure of the n=3 member, i.e. Bi₁₀Mo₃O₂₄. From ab initio indexing X-ray powder pattern cell parameters were derived. It belongs to the monoclinic system, space group C2, with cell parameters: a=23.7282(2) Å, b=5.64906(6) Å, c=8.68173(9) Å, β=95.8668(7)° with Z=2. The matrix relating this cell with the fluorite one is 4 0 1/0 1 0/ 0  and a cationic localization was derived. HRTEM allowed the cationic Bi and Mo order to be modified and specified, as well as to build up a full structural ab initio model on the basis of crystal chemistry considerations. Simultaneous Rietveld refinement of multipattern X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data taking advantage of the neutron scattering length for O location have been performed. The goodness of the model was ascertained by low reliability factors, weighted R_b=4.97% and R_f=3.21%. This complex Bi₁₀Mo₃O₂₄ structure, with 5Bi, 2Mo and 13O in different crystallographic positions of the asymmetric unit, shows good agreement between observed and calculated patterns within the data resolution. Moreover, the determination of this structure sets the basis for the crystallographic characterization of the complete family Bi_2(n+2)Mo_nO_6(n+1), whose guidelines are also evidenced in this paper.     

[Bi6O4.5(OH)3.5]2(NO3)11: a new anhydrous bismuth basic nitrate. Synthesis and structure determination from twinned crystals

The bismuth basic nitrate [Bi₆O_4.5(OH)_3.5]₂(NO₃)₁₁ crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁ with , , , β=107.329(17)° and . Its structure has been determined from , twinned crystal X-ray data (16 781 reflections, 683 parameters, R=0.0703). It is built upon [Bi₆O_x(OH)_8−x]^(10−x)+, x=4 and x=5 hexanuclear complexes and nitrate groups. The polycationic entities are linked to the nitrate anions either by hydrogen bonds or through bismuth-oxygen coordination. Even at , the [Bi₆O₄(OH)₄]⁶⁺ and [Bi₆O₅(OH)₃]⁵⁺ polycations could not be observed as such, the crystal structure refinement only detecting an average [Bi₆O_4.5(OH)_3.5]^5.5+ polycation. To prove the presence of both hexanuclear complexes in the structure, we report the existence of a correlation between the bismuth-linked oxygen bond-valence parameters and the presence, or not, of hydroxyl groups. Moreover, the Raman spectrum of the new anhydrous bismuth basic nitrate is compared to those of [Bi₆O₅(OH)₃](NO₃)₅·3H₂O, [Bi₆O₄(OH)₄](NO₃)₆·4H₂O, and two yet uncharacterized bismuth nitrates.     

Chemical twinning of the pyrochlore structure in the system Bi2O3-Fe2O3-Nb2O5

New ternary bismuth iron niobates having structures based on chemical twinning of pyrochlore are described. Bi_5.67Nb₁₀FeO₃₅ has hexagonal symmetry, P6₃/mmc, , , Z=2 and Bi_9.3Nb_16.9Fe_1.1O_57.8 has rhombohedral symmetry, R-3m, , , Z=3. The structures of both phases were determined and refined to R₁=0.04 using single-crystal X-ray data. They can be described as being derived from the pyrochlore structure by chemical twinning on (111)_py oxygen planes. The chemical twin operation produces pairs of corner-connected hexagonal tungsten bronze (HTB) layers as in the HTB structure, so the structures may alternatively be described as pyrochlore:HTB unit-cell intergrowth structures. In the hexagonal phase the pyrochlore blocks have a width of 12 Å, whereas the rhombohedral phase has pyrochlore blocks of two widths, 6 and 12 Å, alternating with HTB blocks. It is proposed that the previously reported binary 4Bi₂O₃:9Nb₂O₅ phase has a related structure containing pyrochlore blocks all of width 6 Å. A feature of the structures is partial occupancy (∼65%) of the Bi sites and displacement of the Bi atoms from the ideal pyrochlore A sites towards the surrounding oxygen atoms, as observed in Bi-containing pyrochlores.     

Synthesis and structural study of stoichiometric Bi2Ti2O7 pyrochlore

Bi₂Ti₂O₇ has been synthesized using a co-precipitation route from H₂O₂/NH_3(aq) solutions of titanium with aqueous bismuth nitrate. The stoichiometric material crystallizes into a pale yellow cubic pyrochlore phase. A powder X-ray diffraction study showed this crystallization to be very temperature sensitive, the pure phase can only be obtained within a few degrees of 470°C. Time-of-flight powder neutron diffraction studies of Bi₂Ti₂O₇ (Space group , a=10.37949(4) Å at ambient temperature, Z=8, R_p=3.95%, R_wp=4.75%) revealed positional disorder in the bismuth site and in the O′ oxide site both at ambient temperature and at 2 K.     

The structural investigation of Ba4Bi3F17

The anion-excess ordered fluorite-related phase Ba₄Bi₃F₁₇ has been synthesized by a solid state reaction of BaF₂ and BiF₃ at 873 K. The crystal structure of Ba₄Bi₃F₁₇ has been studied using electron diffraction and X-ray powder diffraction (a=11.2300(2) Å, c=20.7766(5) Å, S.G. , R_I=0.020, R_P=0.036). Interstitial fluorine atoms in the Ba₄Bi₃F₁₇ structure are considered to form isolated cuboctahedral 8 : 12 : 1 clusters. The structural relationship between Ba₄Bi₃F₁₇ and similar rare-earth-based phases is discussed.     

Impregnation synthesis of a novel macroporous silica-based TODGA polymeric composite and its application in the adsorption of rare earths in nitric acid solution containing diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid

A macroporous silica-based N,N,N′,N′-tetraoctyl-3-oxapentane-1,5-diamide (TODGA) polymeric composite (TODGA/SiO₂-P) was synthesized. It was done through impregnation and immobilization of TODGA molecule into the pores of the SiO₂-P particles utilizing a vacuum sucking technique. The macroporous SiO₂-P particles were the silica-based organic/inorganic composite synthesized by immobilizing styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer inside SiO₂ through the complicated polymerization reaction. The adsorption of rare earth (RE(III)) elements onto TODGA/SiO₂-P was investigated in HNO₃ solution containing diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), an acidic multi-dentate chelating agent. It was found that in the presence of 0.05 M DTPA, and H⁺ had significant effect on the TODGA/SiO₂-P adsorption due to the competition reactions of RE(III) with different species, H₄DTPA⁻ and H₂DTPA³⁻. With an increase in the concentration of from 0.115 M to 3.015 M, the adsorption of RE(III) onto TODGA/SiO₂-P increased noticeably. On the other hand, RE(III) showed strong adsorption at 0.1 M H⁺, weak adsorption at around pH 2, and no adsorption in excess of pH 2.3. In a 0.1 M H⁺-0.115 M -0.05 M DTPA solution, a change of the distribution coefficient of RE(III) onto TODGA/SiO₂-P with an increase in atomic number of RE(III) from La(III) to Lu(III) was investigated. The silica-based TODGA/SiO₂-P polymeric composite showed strong adsorption for heavy RE(III) over the light one. In a 0.01 M H⁺-1.0 M -0.05 M DTPA solution, the effect of the ratio of solid phase to liquid one on the relationship of the distribution coefficient of RE(III) with the change in atomic number of RE(III) was also studied. Based on the complicated disassociation equilibrium of DTPA, the influence of the concentrations of and H⁺ on the adsorption of TODGA/SiO₂-P for RE(III) was demonstrated. This makes the partitioning of RE(III) and MA(III) together from high level liquid waste (HLLW) by the polymeric composite TODGA/SiO₂-P promising.     

Crystal structure of lanthanum bismuth silicate Bi2−xLaxSiO5 (x∼0.1)

A melting and glass recrystallization route was carried out to stabilize a new tetragonal form of Bi₂SiO₅ with bismuth partially substituted by lanthanum. The crystal structure of Bi_2−xLa_xSiO₅ (x∼0.1) was determined from powder X-ray and neutron diffraction data (space group I4/mmm, , c=15.227(1) Å, V=224.18 Å³, Z=2; reliability factors: R_Bragg=5.65%, R_p=14.6%, R_wp=16.8%, R_exp=8.3%, χ²=8.3 (X-ray) and R_Bragg=2.40%, R_p=8.1%, R_wp=7.5%, R_exp=4.2%, χ²=3.3 (neutrons); 11 structural parameters refined).The main effect of lanthanum substitution is to introduce, by removing randomly some bismuth 6s² lone pairs, a structural disorder in the surroundings of (Bi₂O₂)²⁺ layers, that is in the (SiO₃)²⁻ pyroxene files arrangement. It results in a symmetry increase relatively to the parent compound Bi₂SiO₅, which is orthorhombic. The two structures are compared.     

Approach to thermal properties and electronic polarizability from average single bond strength in ZnOBi2O3B2O3 glasses

The glass transition temperature (T_g), density, refractive index, Raman scattering spectra, and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) for xZnO-yBi₂O₃-zB₂O₃ glasses (x=10-65, y=10-50, z=25-60 mol%) are measured to clarify the bonding and structure features of the glasses with large amounts of ZnO. The average electronic polarizability of oxide ions (α_O2−) and optical basicity (Λ) of the glasses estimated using Lorentz-Lorenz equation increase with increasing ZnO or Bi₂O₃ content, giving the values of α_O2−=1.963 Å³ and Λ=0.819 for 60ZnO-10Bi₂O₃-30B₂O₃ glass. The formation of BOBi and BOZn bridging bonds in the glass structure is suggested from Raman and XPS spectra. The average single bond strength (B_MO) proposed by Dimitrov and Komatsu is applied to the glasses and is calculated using single bond strengths of 150.6 kJ/mol for ZnO bonds in ZnO₄ groups, 102.5 kJ/mol for BiO bonds in BiO₆ groups, 498 kJ/mol for BO bonds in BO₃ groups, and 373 kJ/mol for BO bonds in BO₄ groups. Good correlations are observed between T_g and B_MO, Λ and B_MO, and T_g and Λ, proposing that the average single bond strength is a good parameter for understanding thermal and optical properties of ZnOBi₂O₃B₂O₃ glasses.     

A new 2212-type stair like structure: Bi14Sr21Fe12O61, m=5 member of the generic [Bi2Sr3Fe2O9]m[Bi4Sr6Fe2O16] family

A new oxide, Bi₁₄Sr₂₁Fe₁₂O_61, with a layered structure derived from the 2212 modulated type structure Bi₂Sr₃Fe₂O₉, was isolated. It crystallizes in the I2 space group, with the following parameters: a=16.58(3) Å, b=5.496(1) Å, c=35.27(2) Å and β=90.62°. The single crystal X-ray structure determination, coupled with electron microscopy, shows that this ferrite is the m=5 member of the [Bi₂Sr₃Fe₂O₉]_m[Bi₄Sr₆Fe₂O₁₆] collapsed family. This new collapsed structure can be described as slices of 2212 structure of five bismuth polyhedra thick along , shifted with respect to each other and interconnected by means of [Bi₄Sr₆Fe₂O₁₆] slices. The latter are the place of numerous defects like iron or strontium for bismuth substitution; they can be correlated to intergrowth defects with other members of the family.     

Polycationic disorder in [Bi6O4(OH)4](NO3)6: Structure determination using synchrotron radiation and microcrystal X-ray diffraction

The bismuth basic nitrate [Bi₆O₄(OH)₄](NO₃)₆ crystallizes in a rhombohedral hexagonal unit cell with parameters , , , Z=6, space group R-3. The synthesis, formula determination, thermogravimetric analysis and nitrate assay, and finally, its crystal structure refinement determined at 150(2) K by synchrotron X-ray microcrystal diffraction are reported. Its structure is built from [Bi₆O₄(OH)₄]⁶⁺ polycations, six per unit cell, disordered over two positions. Two oxygen atoms are common to the two antagonist polycations (full occupancy) while the remaining six are partially occupied. The [Bi₆O₄(OH)₄]⁶⁺ hexanuclear clusters form columns along the c-axis. The cohesion between polycationic entities is effected by nitrate anions through either OH-ONO₂ hydrogen bonds or Bi-ONO₂ bonds. One of the two independent [NO₃]⁻ groups is also disordered over two positions. Only a local order in the columns is obtained by formation of pairs of ordered [Bi₆O₄(OH)₄]⁶⁺ polycations.     

Synthesis, crystal structure and magnetic properties of an Os-containing pillared perovskite La5Os3MnO16

A new Os-containing, pillared perovskite, La₅Os₃MnO₁₆, has been synthesized by solid state reaction in sealed quartz tubes. This extends the crystal chemistry of these materials which had been known only for Mo and Re, previously. The crystal structure has been characterized by X-ray and neutron powder diffraction and is described in space group C-1 with parameters a=7.9648(9) Å; b=8.062(1) Å; c=10.156(2) Å, α=90.25(1)°, β=95.5(1)°; γ=89.95(2)°, for La₅Os₃MnO₁₆. The compound is isostructural with the corresponding La₅Re₃MnO₁₆ phase. A very short Os-Os distance of 2.50(1) Å was found in the dimeric pillaring unit, Os₂O₁₀, suggestive of a triple bond as demanded by electron counting. Nearly spin only values for the effective moment for Os⁵⁺ () and Mn²⁺ () were derived from magnetic susceptibility data. Evidence for magnetic transitions was seen near ∼180 and 80 K. Neutron diffraction data indicate that T_c is 170(5) K. The magnetic structure of La₅Os₃MnO₁₆ at 7 K was solved revealing that Os⁵⁺ and Mn²⁺ form ferrimagnetically coupled layers with antiferromagnetic interlayer ordering. The ordered moments are for Mn²⁺ and for Os⁵⁺, which are reduced from the respective spin only values of 5.0 and . The observation of net ferrimagnetic (antiparallel) intraplanar coupling between Os⁵⁺(t_2g³) and Mn²⁺(t_2g³e_g²) is interesting as it appears to contradict the Goodenough-Kanamori rules for 180° superexchange.     

Thermochemical study of two anhydrous polymorphs of caffeine

The mean values of the standard massic energy of combustion of caffeine in phase I (or alpha) and in phase II (or beta) measured by static-bomb combustion calorimetry in oxygen, at T = 298.15 K, are Δ_cu^° (C₈H₁₀O₂N₄, I) = −(21823.27 ± 0.68) J · g⁻¹ and Δ_cu^° (C₈H₁₀O₂N₄, II) = −(21799.96 ± 1.08) J · g⁻¹, respectively.The standard (p^° = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpy of formation in condensed phase for each form was derived from the corresponding standard molar enthalpies of combustion as, and .The difference between the standard enthalpy of formation of the two polymorphs in condensed phase was also evaluated by using reaction-solution calorimetry. The obtained result, 2.04 ± 0.25 kJ · mol⁻¹, is in agreement, within the uncertainty, with the difference between the molar enthalpies of formation obtained from combustion experiments (4.5 ± 3.2) kJ · mol⁻¹, which can be considered as an internal test for consistency of the results.A value for the standard enthalpy of formation of caffeine in the gaseous state was proposed: , estimated from the values of the standard enthalpies of formation of both crystalline forms obtained in this work, and the data on standard enthalpies of sublimation collected from the literature.     

Phase formation, crystal chemistry, and properties in the system Bi2O3-Fe2O3-Nb2O5

Subsolidus phase relations have been determined for the Bi₂O₃-Fe₂O₃-Nb₂O₅ system in air (900-1075 °C). Three new ternary phases were observed—Bi₃Fe_0.5Nb_1.5O₉ with an Aurivillius-type structure, and two phases with approximate stoichiometries Bi₁₇Fe₂Nb₃₁O₁₀₆ and Bi₁₇Fe₃Nb₃₀O₁₀₅ that appear to be structurally related to Bi₈Nb₁₈O₅₇. The fourth ternary phase found in this system is pyrochlore (A₂B₂O₆O′), which forms an extensive solid solution region at Bi-deficient stoichiometries (relative to Bi₂FeNbO₇) suggesting that ≈4-15% of the A-sites are occupied by Fe³⁺. X-ray powder diffraction data confirmed that all Bi-Fe-Nb-O pyrochlores form with positional displacements, as found for analogous pyrochlores with Zn, Mn, or Co instead of Fe. A structural refinement of the pyrochlore 0.4400:0.2700:0.2900 Bi₂O₃:Fe₂O₃:Nb₂O₅ using neutron powder diffraction data is reported with the A cations displaced (0.43 Å) to 96g sites and O′ displaced (0.29 Å) to 32e sites (Bi_1.721Fe_0.190(Fe_0.866Nb_1.134)O₇, Fd3¯m (#227), ). This displacive model is somewhat different from that reported for Bi_1.5Zn_0.92Nb_1.5O_6.92, which exhibits twice the concentration of small B-type cations on the A-sites as the Fe system. Bi-Fe-Nb-O pyrochlores exhibited overall paramagnetic behavior with large negative Curie-Weiss temperature intercepts, slight superparamagnetic effects, and depressed observed moments compared to high-spin, spin-only values. The single-phase pyrochlore with composition Bi_1.657Fe_1.092Nb_1.150O₇ exhibited low-temperature dielectric relaxation similar to that observed for Bi_1.5Zn_0.92Nb_1.5O_6.92; at 1 MHz and 200 K the relative permittivity was 125, and above 350 K conductive effects were observed.