STRUCTURE OF Y4O(OH)9NO3 FROM X-RAY AND NEUTRON POWDER DIFFRACTION DATA

The crystal structure of Y4O(OH)9NO3 was investigated using synchrotron X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data, and the structure was refined by profile analysis of the neutron powder diffraction data. The structure is monoclinic, space group P2(1) (No. 4) with the lattice parameters from the synchrotron X-ray diffraction data a = 9.3852(4), b = 16.3935(5), c = 3.6266(1) angstrom, beta = 101.067(5)-degrees, Z = 2, and has three YO7 coordination polyhedra and one YO9 coordination polyhedron. The Y-O distances are in the range 2.17-2.59 angstrom, and the O-H distances are in the range 0.99-1.03 angstrom. Four synchrotron X-ray powder patterns were measured of the compound on three different diffractometers, and comparisons between the powder patterns and the diffractometers are presented.