Synthesis and characterization of O3-Na{sub 3}LiFeSbO{sub 6}: A new honeycomb ordered layered oxide
Highlights: • A new honeycomb ordered layered oxide Na{sub 3}LiFeSbO{sub 6} was synthesized. • This compound crystallizes in the C2/c space group. • Disorder in the honeycomb arrangement of Li and Fe is present. - Abstract: A new compound Na{sub 3}LiFeSbO{sub 6} has been synthesized by conventional solid state methods and investigated using X-ray diffraction, DC magnetic susceptibility, {sup 57}Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and optical measurements. This compound crystallizes in a monoclinic unit cell and is related to a family of honeycomb ordered layered oxide materials where Na{sup +} fills octahedral interlayer sites between Li{sub 1/3}Fe{sub 1/3}Sb{sub 1/3}O{sub 2} slabs of edge sharing octahedra. Each SbO{sub 6} octahedron is surrounded by LiO{sub 6} and FeO{sub 6} octahedra creating a honeycomb arrangement within the slabs. Powder X-ray diffraction indicates the presence of stacking faults. This compound exhibits Curie–Weiss behavior at high temperatures and the effective magnetic moment verifies the presence of high spin Fe{sup 3+}. The {sup 57}Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy confirms Fe{sup 3+} in an octahedral position and indicates disorder in the arrangement of LiO{sub 6} and FeO{sub 6} octahedra in the Li{sub 1/3}Fe{sub 1/3}Sb{sub 1/3}O{sub 2} slabs.