DOE OSTI2020
KMg3(SiO3)4 crystallizes in the monoclinic Cm space group. The structure is three-dimensional. K is bonded to twelve O atoms to form KO12 cuboctahedra that share edges with six equivalent KO12 cuboctahedra and edges with twelve SiO4 tetrahedra. There are a spread of K–O bond distances ranging from 3.05–3.16 Å. There are two inequivalent Mg sites. In the first Mg site, Mg is bonded to six O atoms to form MgO6 octahedra that share corners with four SiO4 tetrahedra and edges with six MgO6 octahedra. There are a spread of Mg–O bond distances ranging from 1.98–2.17 Å. In the second Mg site, Mg is bonded to six O atoms to form MgO6 octahedra that share corners with four SiO4 tetrahedra and edges with six equivalent MgO6 octahedra. There are two shorter (2.06 Å) and four longer (2.12 Å) Mg–O bond lengths. There are two inequivalent Si sites. In the first Si site, Si is bonded to four O atoms to form SiO4 tetrahedra that share corners with three MgO6 octahedra, corners with three equivalent SiO4 tetrahedra, and edges with three equivalent KO12 cuboctahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 55–58°. There are a spread of Si–O bond distances ranging from 1.60–1.67 Å. In the second Si site, Si is bonded to four O atoms to form SiO4 tetrahedra that share corners with three MgO6 octahedra, corners with three equivalent SiO4 tetrahedra, and edges with three equivalent KO12 cuboctahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 55–58°. There are a spread of Si–O bond distances ranging from 1.60–1.67 Å. There are eight inequivalent O sites. In the first O site, O is bonded in a rectangular see-saw-like geometry to three Mg and one Si atom. In the second O site, O is bonded in a distorted bent 120 degrees geometry to two equivalent K and two equivalent Si atoms. In the third O site, O is bonded in a distorted bent 120 degrees geometry to two equivalent K and two equivalent Si atoms. In the fourth O site, O is bonded in a distorted bent 150 degrees geometry to two equivalent K and two equivalent Si atoms. In the fifth O site, O is bonded in a distorted trigonal non-coplanar geometry to three Mg atoms. In the sixth O site, O is bonded in a distorted bent 150 degrees geometry to two equivalent K and two equivalent Si atoms. In the seventh O site, O is bonded in a rectangular see-saw-like geometry to three Mg and one Si atom. In the eighth O site, O is bonded in a distorted trigonal non-coplanar geometry to three Mg atoms.