LAUSR

Abstract Crystal structures and X-ray reference powder diffraction patterns have been determined for the Ba12Nb8-xTaxCo4O36 (x = 1, 3, 4, 5, 7) series. Ba12Nb8-xTaxCo4O36 crystallize in the cubic perovskite structure with a space group Pm 3 ¯ m (No. 221) and the lattice parameter increasing from a = 4.08732(3) A to a = 4.08894 (2) A as x varies from 1 to 7. The Goldschmidt distortion parameter for the entire series is about 1.05 (1.0488–1.0506), being similar to that of the cubic end member Ba3Nb2CoO9. Transmission electron microscopy of the composition Ba12Nb4Ta4Co4O36 (or Ba3(NbTaCo)O9) revealed nanoscale 1:2 ordering of Nb/Ta and Co, manifested in the presence of the diffuse superlattice reflections. As this ordering is limited to short range, the average structures were still refined assuming the ideal-perovskite cubic symmetry. X-ray powder diffraction patterns of the studied compounds have been submitted to the Powder Diffraction File (PDF).