Structure of Disodium Dimolybdate Synthesized Using Thermodynamically Stable Molybdenum (VI) Oxide Clusters as Precursors

Abstract

The structure of disodium dimolybdate (Na(2)Mo(2)O(7)) synthesized by a low-temperature method in the process of ultrasonic spray pyrolysis using acidified aqueous solutions of thermodynamically stable molybdenum (VI) oxide clusters as a precursor was refined down to an R-factor of 7%. The refinement of the diffraction data showed that Na(2)Mo(2)O(7) powder synthesized at 300 degrees C belongs to the base-centered orthorhombic type of structure with a space group of Cmca (no. 64). It was found that the basic units of the octahedral MoO(6) precursor complexes exist in the structure of Na(2)Mo(2)O(7). Tetrahedral MoO(4) building units that coexist together with octahedral units in the structure of Na(2)Mo(2)O(7) are most likely developed by the termination of weak octahedral bonds and by the placement of the molybdenum atom in the center of the tetrahedra.