Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 March 2012
The crystal structures of ruthenium oxides with the general formula Nd2−xMxRu2O7−y, where M is Cu or Ag, 0≤x≤0.25, were investigated. All compounds that were prepared exhibit the pyrochlore structure with a cubic unit cell. The compounds were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, and single-phase structures were found for Nd2−xCuxRu2O7−y, x=0.1, 0.2, 0.25, and for Nd2−xAgxRu2O7−y, x=0.1, 0.15, 0.2. The relative metal concentrations were verified by EDS. The cell parameters were determined by advanced peak-position analysis and calibrated by a Si internal standard. Atomic positions and oxygen occupancies where refined by the Rietveld method. It was found that the cell-size modifications agree with the relations between ionic sizes.