STRUCTURE AND THERMAL-EXPANSION OF LIGE2 (PO4)3

LiGe2(PO4)3 belongs to the Nasicon-type family. Room-temperature structure has been determined on a single crystal from 3D X-ray data. Thermal evolution of this structure has been established from neutron powder diffraction data between 300 and 1000 K using the Rietveld method. The thermal expansion is positive along the c-axis, whereas shrinking is observed along the a-axis below 900 K, followed by dilatation. The atomic displacements noted with increasing temperature are consistent with a model proposed for NaZr2(PO4)3. © 1991.