Abstract
Single crystals of a new phosphate KCuFe(PO 4) 2 have been prepared by the flux method and its structural and physical properties have been investigated. This compound crystallizes in the monoclinic system with the space group P2 1/ n and its parameters are: a=7.958(3) Å, b=9.931(2) Å, c=9.039(2) Å, β=115.59(3)° and Z=4. Its structure consists of FeO 6 octahedra sharing corners with Cu 2O 8 units of edge-sharing CuO 5 polyhedra to form undulating chains extending infinitely along the b-axis. These chains are connected by the phosphate tetrahedra giving rise to a 3D framework with six-sided tunnels parallel to the [101] direction, where the K + ions are located. The Mössbauer spectroscopy results confirm the exclusive presence of octahedral Fe 3+ ions. The magnetic measurements show the compound to be antiferromagnetic with C m =5.71 emu K/mol and θ=−156.5 K. The derived experimental effective moment μ ex =6.76 μ B is somewhat higher than the theoretical one of μ th =6.16 μ B, calculated taking only into account the spin contribution for Fe 3+ and Cu 2+ cations. Electrical measurements allow us to obtain the activation energy (1.22 eV) and the conductivity measurements suggest that the charge carriers through the structure are the potassium cations.
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