Crystal structure and electrical conductivity of Nd5–xSmxMo3O16 solid solutions

Samarium substitution for neodymium in the Nd 5 Mo 3 O 16 compound has been studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and IR spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that fluorite-like Nd 5– x Sm x Mo 3 O 16 solid solutions exist in the range x ≤ 2. The electrical conductivity of the solid solutions increases with increasing samarium content in the range x = 0–1. Structure refinement by the Rietveld method for Nd 4 SmMo 3 O 16 has shown that the Nd(2) coordination polyhedron in this solid solution is distorted more severely than that in the structure of Nd 5 Mo 3 O 16 .