Hydrothermal synthesis, structural and physico-chemical characterizations of two Nasicon phosphates: M0.50IITi2(PO4)3 (M=Mn, Co)

The family of titanium Nasicon-phosphates of generic formula M{sub 0.5}{sup II}Ti{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} has been revisited using hydrothermal techniques. Two phases have been synthesized: Mn{sub 0.5}{sup II}Ti{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} (MnTiP) and Co{sub 0.5}{sup II}Ti{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} (CoTiP). Single crystal diffraction studies show that they exhibit two different structural types. Mn{sub 0.5}{sup II}Ti{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} phosphate crystallizes in the R-3 space group, with the cell parameters a = 8.51300(10) A and c = 21.0083(3) A (V = 1318.52(3) A{sup 3} and Z = 6). The Co{sub 0.5}{sup II}Ti{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} phosphate crystallizes in the R-3c space group, with a = 8.4608(9) A and c = 21.174(2) A (V = 1312.7(2) A{sup 3} and Z = 6). These two compounds are clearly related to the parent Nasicon-type rhombohedral structure, which can be described using [Ti{sub 2}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}] framework composed of two [TiO{sub 6}] octahedral interlinked via three [PO{sub 4}] tetrahedra. {sup 31}P magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR) data are presented as supporting data. Curie-Weiss-type behavior is observed in the magnetic susceptibility. The phases are also characterized by IR spectroscopy and UV-visible.