Low-Temperature Structure of the Quarter-Filled Ladder Compound alpha'-NaV2O5

The low-temperature (LT) superstructure of $\alpha'$-NaV$_2$O$_5$ was determined by synchrotron radiation x-ray diffraction. Below the phase transition temperature associated with atomic displacement and charge ordering at 34K, we observed the Bragg peak splittings, which evidence that the LT structure is monoclinic. It was determined that the LT structure is $(a-b)\times 2b \times 4c$ with the space group $A112$ where $a, b$ and $c$ represent the high temperature orthorhombic unit cell. The valence estimation of V ions according to the bond valence sum method shows that the V sites are clearly separated into two groups of V$^{4+}$ and V$^{5+}$ with a $zigzag$ charge ordering pattern. This LT structure is consistent with resonant x-ray and NMR measurements, and strikingly contrasts to the LT structure previously reported, which includes V$^{4.5+}$ sites.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

Photoluminescent Layered Lanthanide Silicate Nanoparticles

The first examples of nanoparticles of pure layered Ln2(SiO4H)(OH)2(H2O)Cl (where Ln ) Eu, Gd, and Tb) and mixed microcrystalline layered lanthanide silicates containing different Eu/Gd and Tb/Gd ratios have been reported. The crystal structure of these silicates has been solved from synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction data. These materials display interesting and tuneable photoluminescence (PL) properties, such as energy transfer between different Ln3+ centers, illustrated here with the pairs Eu3+/Gd3+ and Tb3+/Gd3+. The PL properties of the mixed Eu3+/Gd3+ sample change upon F– for Cl- ion exchange, and this raises the possibility that this material may be exploited for sensing these ions