Rutile Superstructure of Sb0.9V1.1O4

Abstract

The structure of Sb0.9V1.1O4, antimony vanadium oxide, has been studied by powder X-ray diffraction, electron diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM). The X-ray powder diffraction pattern showed only basic rutile reflections [a r = 4.6085 (1), c r = 3.0867 (1) Å] and the basic rutile structure was refined using the Rietveld method. A rutile superstructure was revealed when the sample was studied by electron diffraction. The electron diffraction patterns were indexed on the unit cell a = 21/2 a r , b = 21/2 b r , c = 2c r . Its space group, I41 md, was determined by means of convergent-beam electron diffraction (CBED). A structural model based on alternating cation ordering along c in the chains of edge-sharing octahedra is proposed and its electron diffraction patterns and HREM image are calculated and matched with the experimental ones.