Cation Ordering in LiFe5O8 Studied by Mössbauer Spectroscopy and X-Ray Crystallography

Abstract

In order to establish the atomic order (or disorder) of Li atoms in LiFe5O8, a crystallographic structure refinement and a spectroscopic Mössbauer study are made. Several polycrystalline and monocrystalline samples are separately heat treated and studied. The results are in agreement with the existence of a short-range order in the disordered phase. An exact fit of the Mössbauer spectra is done and distinguishes three FeB sites and two FeA sites magnetically inequivalent. The calulated dipolar fields are consistent with values determined by NMR.