In situ X-ray and neutron diffraction study of Ba2In2O5

Order-disorder transitions in barium indate, Ba2In2O5, have been studied using in-situ X-ray and neutron diffraction. At room temperature, the crystal structure is an orthorhombic brownmillerite structure. At 706 C, the crystal structure is orthorhombic, possibly of the Imma or Ibm2 space groups. At 900 C, oxygen vacancies begin to disorder. The order-disorder transition occurs slowly in two steps over a temperature range of 900 - 925 C. Above this temperature range, the crystal structure is tetragonal, most likely belonging to the space group I 4/mcm. A second order-disorder transition begins at 1040 C, and proceeds over the temperature range 1040 - 1065 C. Above this temperature range, the crystal structure is a cubic, oxygen-deficient perovskite structure, with space group Pm3m. At an undetermined temperature above 1200 C, Ba2In2O5 begins to decompose. (orig.)