Abstract
The crystal structure of the Sb6O13 oxide, exhibiting a defect pyrochlore crystal structure with atomic vacancies, has been studied using a complete set of state-of-the-art techniques. The degree of antimony disproportionation in Sb3+ and Sb5+ valence states has been directly determined around 36% and 64%, respectively, using X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES). These findings are in excellent agreement with our Rietveld analysis of synchrotron X-ray (SXRD) and neutron powder diffraction (NPD) results. Moreover, the highly distorted Sb3+ coordination due to its lone electron pair has been critically revisited. The bonding distances and coordination of Sb3+ and Sb5+ species closely agree with an extensive dynamic and crystallographic determination using the Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS) technique. Most importantly, the specific local disorder of the two distinctive Sb ions has been crosschecked monitoring their unusual Debye–Waller factors.
The Elemental Multifariousness of the Defect‐Pyrochlore Crystal Structure and the Application in Photocatalytic Hydrogen Generation
