Abstract
The crystal structures of the langbeinite type M + +2 K2(SO4)3 with M + +=Mg, Ni, Co, Zn, Ca in their cubic phase (P 2 1 3) and Ca2K2(SO4)3 in its orthorhombic phase (P 2 1 2 1 2 1) are determined. Whereas the SO4-tetrahedra in these compounds are almost undistorted, the two symmetry-independent coordination polyhedra of M + + are highly distorted octahedra with trigonal site symmetry in P 2 1 3. The deformation of the oxygen octahedra and the off-centering of M + + along the trigonal axis show systematic dependences on the ionic radii and the electronegativities of the M + +-ions. The correlations are remarkably different for the two symmetry-independent M + +-ions indicating different M + + — O bonding.
The octahedral deformations show also linear correlations with the phase transition temperatures (P 2 1 3 — P 2 1 2 1 2 1) of the different compounds. This observation leads to a new model for the phase transition mechanism which is based on thermal instabilities of the M + + — O and K — O polyhedral distortions. The cubic high temperature phase is characterized by high symmetric oxygen coordinations around M + + which distort with decreasing temperature.
At T c the trigonal site symmetry is broken in such a way that the K — O coordination becomes denser at the expense of a wider and less symmetric M + + — O coordination.
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- Dedicated to Josef Zemann -
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Speer, D., Salje, E. Phase transitions in langbeinites I: Crystal chemistry and structures of K-double sulfates of the langbeinite type M + +2 K2(SO4)3, M + +=Mg, Ni, Co, Zn, Ca. Phys Chem Minerals 13, 17–24 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307309
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00307309