Pseudotetragonal structure of Li(2+x)Ce(x)(3+)Ce(12-x)(4+)F(50): the first mixed valence cerium fluoride.
The crystal structure of the new Li(5.5)Ce(12)F(50) compound has been fully characterized by single-crystal and synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction. An accurate pseudotetragonal structure was described in the monoclinic P2(1) space group with 68 independent crystallographic sites. The Li(5.5)Ce(12)F(50) composition belongs to the Li(2+x)Ce(x)(3+)Ce(12-x)(4+)F(50) solid solution. Its structure consists of an opened fluorine framework where a channel network allows the intercalation of relatively mobile lithium cations, inducing the formation of the mixed-valence cerium (the intercalation of Li(+) leads to the reduction of a part of Ce(4+) to Ce(3+)). One part of the lithium ions, necessary for the electroneutrality of the tetravalent equivalent cerium fluoride (Li(2)Ce(12)F(50) composition), is in a locked fluorine polyhedron. Only the supplementary x amount of lithium is able to be exchanged in Li(2+x)Ce(x)(3+)Ce(12-x)(4+)F(50). The structure of Li(2+x)Ce(x)(3+)Ce(12-x)(4+)F(50) is a rearrangement, due to lithium intercalation, of the base CeF(4) structure. Bond valence calculation on Ce sites, Ce coordination polyhedra volumes, and a calculated Ce cationic radius give the indication of a partial long-range ordering of trivalent and tetravalent cerium cations in specific slabs of the structure. (7)Li NMR spectroscopy and XPS analyses have confirmed all of the structure details.
Renaudin
Guillaume
G
Clermont Université, ENSCCF, Laboratoire des Matériaux Inorganiques, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France. guillaume.renaudin@ensccf.fr
Dieudonné
Belto
B
Avignant
Daniel
D
Mapemba
Elise
E
El-Ghozzi
Malika
M
Fleutot
Solène
S
Martinez
Hervé
H
Cerný
Radovan
R
Dubois
Marc
M