The Crystal Chemistry and Bonding In Vanadates of Divalent Metal Ions And the Crystal Structure of Whitlockite

Abstract

<p> The crystal structures of Ca3(VO4)2, Ca3(asO4)2, alpha-Zn3(VO4)2, alpha-Zn2V2O7, Mg2V2O7, VPO5, and whitlockite (Room temperature and 1200 degree C) have determined by X-ray diffraction methods. Tests on the existing theories on the prediction of bond lengths have been made on the vanadate structures determined in this work as well as other reported structures. The range of validity of these theories have been brought out. The importance of the difference of the structure of whitlockite from that of BetaCa3(PO4)2, have also been discussed in detail. </p>