In situ high-temperature powder X-ray diffraction study on the spinel solid solutions (Mg1−x Mn x )Cr2O4

Abstract

Using a conventional high-T furnace, the solid solutions between magnesiochromite and manganochromite, (Mg1−x Mn x )Cr2O4 with x = 0.00, 0.19, 0.44, 0.61, 0.77 and 1.00, were synthesized at 1,473 K for 48 h in open air. The ambient powder X-ray diffraction data suggest that the V–x relationship of the spinels does not show significant deviation from the Vegard’s law. In situ high-T powder X-ray diffraction measurements were taken up to 1,273 K at ambient pressure. For the investigated temperature range, the unit-cell parameters of the spinels increase smoothly with temperature increment, indicating no sign of cation redistribution between the tetrahedral and octahedral sites. The V–T data were fitted with a polynomial expression for the volumetric thermal expansion coefficient ( $$ \alpha_{T} = a_{0} + a_{1} T + a_{2} T^{ - 2} $$ ), which yielded insignificant a 2 values. The effect of the composition on a 0 is adequately described by the equation a 0 = [17.7(8) − 2.4(1) × x] 10−6 K−1, whereas that on a 1 by the equation a 1 = [8.6(9) + 2.1(11) × x] 10−9 K−2.