X-Ray Powder Diffraction Characterization of BaR2CuO5 (R=Yttrium and the Lanthanides) and Related Compounds

Abstract

AbstractA series of BaO:RxOy:CuO materials has been prepared where R=Y, La, Ce, Pr, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu. They have been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction methods. All BaR2CuO5 phases, commonly referred to as the “green phases”, are orthorhombic with space group Pbnm(62) and are isostructural. These single phase materials could be prepared with most lanthanides, except for La, Ce, Pr, Nd and Tb. Possible reasons for the exceptions are discussed. Both La and Nd tend to form a brown solid solution of Ba2+2xR4-2xCu2-xO10-2x with a tetragonal space group of P4/mbm(127). The major phases found in the Ce, Pr and Tb compositions are the perovskite-related structures BaRO3, and in the Pr case, Ba2PrCu3O6+x as well. The cell parameters of the green phase materials increase progressively from the Lu compound to the Sm compound: a ranges from 7.0506(6) to 7.2754(4) Å, b from 12. 0534(8) to 12. 4029(7) Å, c from 5.6099(5) to 5. 7602(3) Å, and the cell volume from 476.75(6) to 519.78(4) Å3. A correlation of the crystallographic data with the size of the R elements is given.