Refinement of Phase Formation in the Na2MoO4-Hf(MoO4)2 System. Crystal Structure of the New Binary Molybdate Na8Hf(MoO4)6

Phase equilibria in the subsolidus region of the Na₂MoO₄-Hf(MoO₄)₂ system have been investigated. The existence of Na₂Hf(MoO₄)₃ was confirmed, and a new binary molybdate, Na₈Hf(MoO₄)₆, has been found, whose crystal structure with dimensions a = 20.661(3) Å, b = 9.816(1) Å, c = 13.796(3) Å, β = 113.47(1)°, Z = 4, space group C2/_c, _R = 0.023 is similar to that of K₈Hf(MoO₄)₆. In the structure, each HfO₆ octahedron is linked (through common vertices) to six MoO₄ tetrahedra, forming [Hf(MoO₄)₆]⁸⁻ cluster groups. Between the groups are Na⁺ ions having considerably distorted tetragonal pyramidal or octahedral oxygen surroundings; c.n. of sodium here is 5 or 6 versus c.n. = 7–9 of potassium in K₈Hf(MoO₄)₆. The open irregular environment of sodium and the continuous three-dimensional openwork of oxygen polyhedra around sodium suggest that Na₈Hf(MoO₄)₆ or its analogs may be good ion conductors.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by S. F. Solodovnikov, B. G. Bazarov, L. V. Balsanova, Z. A. Solodovnikova, and Zh. G. Bazarova__________Translated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 45, No. 6, pp. 1044–1048, November–December, 2004.