framework is related to the polarizability of M-X bonds. The influence of polarizability in β-alumina and anion con ductors is also discussed.Tn a search for new materials exhibiting fast ion transport, various thoughts have been expressed concerning the structural and chemical requirements for such materials. The structural features have generally been stressed; however, there are other important considerations.The difficulty in assessing factors other than structural is that one must subdue the geometric effects which generally appear to dominate. This is done by comparing the ionic conductivity of ions with nearly identical sizes (e.g., Li + vs. Cu + or Rb + vs. Tl + ) in the same structure.Although some data exist on the relative mobilities of Tl + and Rb + in /3-alumina, a comparison in this structure is hindered by the complex behavior of Rb-/?-alumina (I). Another approach is to change the chemistry of a host structure without significantly altering its geometry.The effect of this nongeometric change could then be directly established.A family of compounds with the general formula AM2Xe having a pyrochlore-related structure was discovered by Babel et al. (2) in 1967. This is an (M2Xe)" framework structure formed by corner-sharing MXe
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