Fe5O5[B6O10(OH)3]·nH2O: Wave-layered Iron Borate and Frustrated Antiferromagnetism

• The first layered iron borate, Fe5O5[B6O10(OH)3]·nH2O, has been prepared by the boric acid flux method. Its structure, determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction, contains a double FeO6-octahedral layer and an unusual [B6O13] chain. The rigid and cambered [B6O13] chains bend the octahedral layers, resulting in a wave-like and sandwiched structure. Crystallographic study indicates the structural modulation is mainly from the [B6O13] chains because of the insertion of water molecules in between. Nevertheless, FeO6 layers in the average structure, which are well separated by borate chains, is still a reasonable model to understand the two-dimensional magnetism. The strong antiferromagnetic interactions and the complex Fe3+-net suggest a possible geometrically magnetic frustration, which may be the reason for the second-order temperature-induced magnetic transition at 125 K. The condensed Fe3+ layers and the relatively low redox potential at about 1.25 V versus Li+/Li show its potentials as an anodic material.

Keyword

low-dimensional structure

disorder

superstructure

electron diffraction

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)