In this paper, we report the structural and compostional variation of Ce 2 Zr 2 O 7 pyrochlore under a controlled oxidation/reduction process. On oxidation Ce 2 Zr 2 O 7 transforms to Ce 2 Zr 2 O 8 via an intermediate lattice at Ce 2 Zr 2 O 7.5 . Crystal structures of the Ce 2 Zr 2 O 7 , Ce 2 Zr 2 O 7.5 , and Ce 2 Zr 2 O 8 have been determined accurately from the neutron diffraction data of polycrystalline samples. The retention of cubic pyrochlore-type arrangements is observed even up to the fully oxidized Ce 2 Zr 2 O 8 composition. The unit cell parameters systematically decreased from Ce 2 Zr 2 O 7 (10.6924(3) A ˚) to Ce 2 Zr 2 O 8 ( 10.5443(2) A ˚). All three compositions retain the original pyrochlore-type cation ordering without any intermixing Ce and Zr atoms. All three structures can be explained as cubically coordinated metal atoms, which share the edge of their AO 8 polyhedra similar to that in the fluorite lattice. The transformation from Ce 2 Zr 2 O 7 to Ce 2 Zr 2 O 8 systematically lowers the symmetry from Fd3m to P2 1 3. A complete oxidation of Ce 3þ to Ce 4þ is observed, in contrast to the kinetically and sterically hindered oxidation proposed earlier. The deep crystallographic insights associated with the oxygen intercalation and deintercalation process in Ce 2 O 3 /CeO 2 -ZrO 2 will have immense importance in the development and understanding of new oxygen storage capacitors.

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