2025-06-13

Minerals, Vol. 15, Pages 645: Crystal Chemistry and Thermodynamic Properties of Mineralogically Probable Phosphate Ca2.62Cu1.94Co1.44(PO4)4—Structurally Related to Natural Arsenate Zubkovaite

Olga Yakubovich, Galina Kiriukhina, Larisa Shvanskaya, Alexander Vasiliev

Minerals

In this paper, we report the details of the synthesis, single crystal X-ray diffraction study, comparative crystal chemical analysis, and magnetic behavior of a new phosphate variation of the arsenate mineral zubkovaite. The title compound was obtained as a high-temperature flux product in the form of a partly ordered solid solution and was studied using scanning electron microscopy and microprobe analysis. It possesses a monoclinic symmetry with a P21/n space group; the unit cell parameters are a = 8.8040 (2), b = 4.8970 (1), c = 14.5772 (3), and β = 93.993(2)°. The Ca2.62Cu1.94Co1.44(PO4)4 crystal structure exhibits some statistical disorder. Our refinement showed that two positions are mixed, being occupied by Cu/Co (M1) and Ca/Co (M2) atoms. Two types of layers that are nearly parallel to the (101) plane can be distinguished in the structure. One of them is built by sharing corners of CuO4 squares, M1O5 square pyramids, and PO4 tetrahedra. The second type of layer formed from Ca2+- and M2+-centered polyhedra alternates in the [1¯01] direction to construct a tri-periodic framework. Ca2.62Cu1.94Co1.44(PO4)4 experiences long-range antiferromagnetic ordering at low temperatures, as evidenced by both dc—and ac—magnetic susceptibilities, as well as by the specific heat measurements.

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