Structure and proton conduction in pyrochlore-type antimonic acid: a neutron diffraction study

✍ Scribed by Robert C.T. Slade; Gillian P. Hall; A. Ramanan; Edward Prince

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 857 KB
• Volume: 92
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0167-2738
• DOI: 10.1016/s0167-2738(96)00497-3

✦ Synopsis

The structure of pyrochlore-type antimonic acid, HSbO, . OSH,O, has been investigated using powder diffraction of neutrons. The structure (space group F&r) contains an [Sb,Oi-] framework, with interstitial oxygens present as a mixture of H,O and H,O'. Three H-atom sites have been identified, (I) close to the [Sb,OgJ framework in hydroxyl groups (Sb-OH), (2) H in water molecules H-bonded to framework hydroxyls, and (3) H in H,O' ions H-bonded to O-atoms of the intercavity windows. An intraframework equilibrium of the type Sb-OH + H,O+Sb-O-+ H,O' provides the mechanism for intracavity chemical exchange and proton conduction.