SrNi(VO4)(OH): The High-Temperature Hydrothermal Synthesis and Magnetic Properties of an Adelite-Descloizite-Type Structure

Single crystals of a new transition metal adelite-descloizite-type structure were synthesized using a high temperature (580 °C) high-pressure hydrothermal technique. Single crystal X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) were used to investigate the structure and elemental composition, respectively. SrNi(VO4)(OH) crystallizes in an acentric orthorhombic crystal system in the space group P212121 (no. 19); Z = 4, a = 5.9952(4) Å, b = 7.5844(4) Å, c = 9.2240(5) Å. The structure is comprised of a Ni–O–V framework where Sr2+ ions reside inside the channels. Single-crystal magnetic measurements display a significant anisotropy in both temperature- and field-dependent data. The temperature dependent magnetic measurement shows antiferromagnetic behavior at TN~8 K. Overall, the magnetic properties indicate the presence of competing antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic interactions of SrNi(VO4)(OH).