This study focuses on the mineralogical characterization of four raw clay samples from Dobrodo deposit, Serbia. Several analytical methods were applied to determine the chemical and mineralogical composition, morphology and physical properties (colour, plasticity, specific surface area, particle size and cation-exchange capacity) of the clay samples. Kaolinite, smectite and illite are the predominant phases in all of the samples studied that contain between 60.2 and 87.1 wt.% of clay. Quartz, feldspars, paragonite and Ti- and Fe-bearing phases were also identified. The relatively high SiO2/Al2O3 mass ratio indicates abundant quartz. The cation-exchange capacity of the samples varied between low and moderately charged clay minerals (12–52 mmol 100 g–1) with specific surface area values ranging from 94 to 410 m2 g–1. The plasticity index values (11–23%) suggest low to moderate plasticity. Preliminary results show that most of the raw clay from Dobrodo deposit might be suitable for use in ceramic applications.

Single-crystal X-ray diffraction of Cs3ScSi6O15 shows the presence of main reflections and satellite reflections up to the fourth order along the c* direction. The (3+1)-dimensional incommensurately modulated structure was solved in superspace group X3m1(00gamma)0s0 [a = 13.861 (1), c = 6.992 (1) Å, V = 1163.4 (2) Å(3)] with a modulation wavevector q = 0.14153 (2)c*. Refinement of three modulation waves for positional and anisotropic displacement parameter values for all atoms converged to R(obs) values for all, main and satellite reflections of first, second and third order of 0.0200, 0.0166, 0.0181, 0.0214 and 0.0303, respectively. Cs3ScSi6O15 forms a mixed tetrahedral-octahedral framework with prominent six-membered rings of [SiO4]-tetrahedra interconnected by [ScO6]-octahedra. Apart from Sc, all atoms are strongly affected by positional modulation with maximum atomic displacements of up to 0.93 Å causing rigid polyhedral arrangements to perform tilt and twist movements relative to each other, such as a rotation of the Sc-octahedra around the 3-axis by over 38°. Cs has an irregular coordination environment; however, considering distances up to 3.5 Å, the bond-valence sum changes by no more than 0.02 as a function of t and thus overall kept at a level of ca 1.075.

Single-crystal growth experiments in the system CsF-Er

Two polymorphs of tripotassium erbium disilicate, K3ErSi2O7, were synthesized by high‐temperature flux crystal growth during the exploration of the flux technique for growing new alkali rare‐earth elements (REE) containing silicates. Their crystal structures were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. One of them (denoted 1) crystallizes in the space group P63/mmc and is isostructural with disilicates K3LuSi2O7, K3ScSi2O7 and K3YSi2O7, while the other (denoted 2) crystallizes in the space group P63/mcm and is isostructural with disilicates K3NdSi2O7, K3REESi2O7 (REE = Gd–Yb), K3YSi2O7, K3(Y0.9Dy0.1)Si2O7 and K3SmSi2O7. In the crystal structure of polymorph 1, the Er cations are in an almost perfect octahedral coordination, while in the crystal structure of polymorph 2, part of the Er cations are in a slightly distorted octahedral coordination and the other part are in an ideal trigonal prismatic coordination environment. Sharing six corners, disilicate Si2O7 groups in the crystal structure of polymorph 1 link six ErO6 octahedra, forming a three‐dimensional network and nine‐coordinated potassium cations are located in its holes. In the crystal structure of polymorph 2, the disilicate Si2O7 groups connect four ErO6 octahedra, as well as one ErO6 trigonal prism. Three differently coordinated potassium cations are situated between them. Different site symmetries of the erbium cations in the crystal structures of polymorphs 1 and 2 affect their photoluminescence properties. Only polymorph 2 exhibits luminescence. Intense narrow lines in the emission spectrum are a result of the 4f–4f transition. The green emission line at 560 nm is the result of the Er3+ transition 4S3/2→4I15/2, and the luminescence line at 690 nm is the result of a 4F9/2→4I15/2 transition. The crystal morphologies of the two polymorphs are similar. Crystals of polymorph 1 are in the form of a hexagonal prism in combination with a hexagonal base, while crystals of polymorph 2 contain a dihexagonal prism in combination with a hexagonal base, although poorly developed faces of the dihexagonal pyramid can also be noticed.

The new ambient-temperature hexagonal (space group P63 /mmc) polymorph of tripotassium ytterbium(III) disilicate (β-K3YbSi2O7) has been synthesized by the high-temperature flux method and subsequently structurally characterized. In the course of the temperature-dependent single-crystal diffraction experiments, a phase transformation of β-K3YbSi2O7 to a novel low-temperature orthorhombic phase (β′-K3YbSi2O7, space group Cmcm) has been observed at about 210 K. β-K3YbSi2O7 is isostructural with K3ErSi2O7, whereas β′-K3YbSi2O7 adopts a new type of structure. Both compounds can be built up from a regular alternation of layers of two types, which are parallel to the (001) plane. In the octahedral layer, YbO6 octahedra are isolated and linked by K1O6+3 polyhedra. The second, slightly thicker sorosilicate layer is formed by a combination of Si2O7 dimers and K2O6+3 polyhedra. The boundary between the layers is a pseudo-kagome oxide sheet based on 3.6.3.6 meshes. The phase transition is due to a tilt of the two SiO4 tetrahedra forming a single dimer which induces a decrease of the Si—O—Si angle between bridging Si—O bonds from 180° (dictated by symmetry in space group P63/mmc) to ≃164°. Magnetic characterization indicates that K3YbSi2O7 remains paramagnetic down to 2 K, showing no apparent influence of the phase transformation on its magnetic properties. Analysis of the magnetization data revealed the positions of the three lowest crystal field levels of the Yb3+ cations, as well as the corresponding projections of their angular momentum on the direction of the magnetic field.