Structure and X-ray reference diffraction patterns of (Ba6-xSrx)R2Co4O15 (x=1, 2) (R = lanthanides)

The structure and X-ray patterns of two series of barium lanthanide cobaltates, namely, Ba4Sr2R2Co4O15 (R = La, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, and Dy), and Ba5SrR2Co4O15 (R = La, Nd, Sm, Eu, and Gd) have been determined. These compounds crystallize in the space group P6(3)mc; the unit-cell parameters of Ba4Sr2R2Co4O15 (R from La to Dy) decrease from a = 11.6128(2) angstrom to 11. 5266(9) angstrom, c = 6.869 03(11) to 6. 7630(5) angstrom, and V = 802.23(3)angstrom(3) to 778.17(15) angstrom(3), respectively. In the Ba5SrR2Co4O15 series (R = La to Gd), the unit-cell parameters decrease from a = 11.735 44(14) angstrom to 11.619 79(12) angstrom, c = 6.942 89 (14) angstrom to 6.836 52(8) angstrom, and V = 828.08(3) angstrom(3) to 799.40(2) angstrom(3). In the general structure of (Ba6-xSrx) R2Co4O15, there are four Co ions per formula unit occupying one CoO6 octahedral and three CoO4 tetrahedral units. Through corner-sharing of these polyhedra, a larger Co4O15 unit is formed. Sr2+ ions adopt both octahedral and 8-fold coordination environment. R3+ ions adopt 8-fold coordination (mixed site with Sr), while the larger Ba2+ ions assume both 10- and 11-fold coordination environments. The samples were found to be insulators. X-ray diffraction patterns of these samples have been determined and submitted to the Powder Diffraction File (PDF). (C) 2013 International Centre for Diffraction Data.