Crystal structures and crystal chemistry in the system Na1+xZr2SixP3−xO12

As part of a search for skeleton structures for fast alkali-ion transport, the system Na_1+xZr₂Si_xP_3?xO₁₂ has been prepared, analyzed structurally and ion exchanged reversibly with Li⁺, Ag⁺, and K⁺ ions. Single-crystal x-ray analysis was used to identify the composition NaZr₂P₃O₁₂ and to refine its structure, which has rhombohedral space group R3?c with cell parameters $\text{a}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>r</mtext>}}\text{= 8.815(1)}\text{A}\text{?}$ and $\text{c}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>r</mtext>}}\text{= 22.746(7)}\text{A}\text{?}$. A small distortion to monoclinic symmetry occurs in the interval 1.8 ≤x≤ 2.2. The structure for Na₃Zr₂Si₂PO₁₂, proposed from powder data, has space group $\text{C}\text{2}\text{c}$ with $\text{a}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}\text{= 15.586(9)}\text{A}\text{?}$, $\text{b}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}\text{= 9.029(4)}\text{A}\text{?}$, $\text{c}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}\text{= 9.205(5)}\text{A}\text{?}$, and β = 123.70(5)° Both structures contain a rigid, three-dimensional network of PO₄ or (SiO₄) tetrahedra sharing corners with ZrO₆ octahedra and a three-dimensionally linked interstitial space. Of the two distinguishable alkali-ion sites in the rhombohedral structure, one is completely occupied in both end members, the occupancy of the other varies across the system from 0 to 100 percent. Several properties are compared with the fast Na⁺-ion conductor β-alumina.