Cationic disorder and Mn{sup 3+}/Mn{sup 4+} charge ordering in the B′ and B″ sites of Ca{sub 3}Mn{sub 2}NbO{sub 9} perovskite: a comparison with Ca{sub 3}Mn{sub 2}WO{sub 9}

• Published in: Journal of solid state chemistry Vol. 210; no. 1
• Main Authors: López, C.A., Centro Atómico Bariloche, Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica and Instituto Balseiro, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, 8400S.C. de Bariloche, Río Negro, Saleta, M.E., Pedregosa, J.C., Sánchez, R.D., Alonso, J.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 15.02.2014
• Subjects: CATIONS; CERAMICS; ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE; INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; MAGNETORESISTANCE; MANGANESE IONS; MONOCLINIC LATTICES; NEUTRON DIFFRACTION; PARAMAGNETISM; PEROVSKITE; SOLIDS; X-RAY DIFFRACTION
• ISSN: 0022-4596; 1095-726X
• DOI: 10.1016/J.JSSC.2013.10.039

We describe the preparation, crystal structure determination, magnetic and transport properties of two novel Mn-containing perovskites, with a different electronic configuration for Mn atoms located in B site. Ca{sub 3}Mn{sup 3+}{sub 2}WO{sub 9} and Ca{sub 3}Mn{sup 3+/4+}{sub 2}NbO{sub 9} were synthesized by standard ceramic procedures; the crystallographic structure was studied from X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and neutron powder diffraction (NPD). Both phases exhibit a monoclinic symmetry (S.G.: P2{sub 1}/n); Ca{sub 3}Mn{sub 2}WO{sub 9} presents a long-range ordering over the B sites, whereas Ca{sub 3}Mn{sub 2}NbO{sub 9} is strongly disordered. By “in-situ” NPD, the temperature evolution of the structure study presents an interesting evolution in the octahedral size (〈Mn–O〉) for Ca{sub 3}Mn{sub 2}NbO{sub 9}, driven by a charge ordering effect between Mn{sup 3+} and Mn{sup 4+} atoms, related to the anomaly observed in the transport measurements at T≈160 K. Both materials present a magnetic order below T{sub C}=30 K and 40 K for W and Nb materials, respectively. The magneto-transport measurements display non-negligible magnetoresistance properties in the paramagnetic regime. - Graphical abstract: Comparison between the octahedron size and the magnetic behaviour for Ca{sub 3}Mn{sub 2}NbO{sub 9} in the temperature region where the charge and magnetic order occur. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Two novel Mn-containing double perovskites were obtained by solid-state reactions. • Both double perovskites are monoclinic (P2{sub 1}/n) determined by XRPD and NPD. • Ca{sub 3}Mn{sub 2}WO{sub 9} contains Mn{sup 3+} while Ca{sub 3}Mn{sub 2}NbO{sub 9} includes mixed-valence cations Mn{sup 3+}/Mn{sup 4+}. • Ca{sub 3}Mn{sub 2}NbO{sub 9} presents a charge-ordering effect between Mn{sup 3+} and Mn{sup 4+} evidenced by NPD. • The magnetic and transport studies evidenced the charge ordering in Ca{sub 3}Mn{sub 2}NbO{sub 9}.