X-ray diffraction study and powder patterns of double-perovskites Sr2RSbO6 (R = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Y, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu)

The X-ray diffraction powder patterns were prepared and the crystal structures were refined for the double-perovskite series of compounds, Sr 2 RSbO 6 ( R = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Y, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu). We found the structures of the entire Sr 2 RSbO 6 series to be monoclinic with space group P 2 1 / n (no. 14), and Z = 2 . From R = Lu to Pr, the lattice parameters “ a ” range from 5.7779(2) to 5.879 05(8) Å, “ b ” range from 5.7888(2) to 5.969 52(9) Å, “ c ” range from 8.1767(3) to 8.369 20(12) Å, “ β ” range from 90.112(2)° to 90.313(1)°, and “ V ” range from 273.483(4) to 293.714(7) Å 3 . These lattice parameters follow the well-established trend of “lanthanide contraction”. The R 3+ and Sb 5+ ions are found to be fully ordered in the double-perovskite arrangement of alternating corner-sharing octahedra in a zigzag fashion. The SrO 12 , R O 6 , and SbO 6 cages are all found to have distorted coordination environments. Powder diffraction patterns of these compounds have been prepared, submitted, and published in the Powder Diffraction File.