Novel compositions and physical property comparisons for (A,A′)2.5 VMoO8 lyonsites (A=Zn,

This work details a comparative investigation within the system Zn2.5−xA′xVMoO8 (A′2+ = Mn, Ni, Cu). Samples were prepared between 700 and 1000 °C, resulting in various colors. All three solid solutions were found to exhibit a miscibility gap before or at the midpoint, beyond which phase separation occurs. X-ray and neutron powder diffraction were used to elucidate the cause of these solubility limits and diffuse reflectance measurements revealed varying color mechanisms. All phase pure members of the solid solutions are found to be similar to the parent compound, and magnetic susceptibility measurements confirmed the +2 oxidation state for all substitutions, with tendency towards antiferromagnetic exchange as x increases.