Rietveld refinements of the crystal structures of Rb2XSi5O12 (X = Mn, Ni)

Poster Number: CCG06 Synthetic analogues of the silicate framework mineral leucite (KAlSi2O6) with the stoichiometry Rb2XSi5O12 (X = Mn, Ni) have been prepared by high temperature solid-state synthesis. Ambient temperature X-ray powder diffraction data have been collected on these samples. Analysis of these powder diffraction data show that these samples both consist of single phases [1] isostructural with the Pbca cation-ordered framework leucite structure of Cs2CdSi5O12 [2]. Rietveld refinement [3] shows that for X = Mn this crystal structure has complete Mn and Si cation order over the tetrahredrally coordinated sites (T-sites) in the silicate framework. However, for X = Ni, Rietveld refinement suggests that there may be some Ni and Si cation T-site cation disorder