57Fe Mössbauer spectra from fluorinated phases of Fe0.50M0.50(M = Co,Mg)Sb2O4

Fluorinated phases formed by reaction of Fe0.5Co0.5Sb2O4 and Fe0.5Mg0.5Sb2O4 with gaseous fluorine have been examined by 57 Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy between 298 and 5 K. The degree of oxidation of Fe2+to Fe3 +has been used to quantify the amount of fluorine incorporated within the channels of the schafarzikite-related structure and enable the evaluation of the compositions as Fe0.5Co0.5Sb2O4F0.41 and Fe0.5Mg0.5Sb2O4F0.31. The multiplicity of components observed in the spectra recorded in the paramagnetic regime can be related to the number of near neighbour fluoride ions which lie in the channels at the same value of the crystal z- coordinate as the iron ions. Comparison of the magnetically ordered spectra recorded at lower temperatures from Co0.5Fe0.5Sb2O4F0.41 with those recorded previously from FeSb2O4 indicates that the insertion of fluoride ions into the channels of the structure does not affect the angle between the EFG and magnetic hyperfine field.