Magnetic Ordering and Structural Transition in the Ordered Double-Perovskite Pb₂NiMoO₆

The B-site-ordered double-perovskite Pb2NiMoO6 was prepared at high pressure and high temperature. The structural analysis of synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction data shows that Pb2NiMoO6 crystallizes into monoclinic symmetry with the space group Pc (no. 7), where the Ni and Mo ions are ordered in a rock-salt-type manner. The magnetic and specific heat characterizations reveal unusual two-step antiferromagnetic (AFM) transitions at 18 and 26 K for Pb2NiMoO6. The X-ray absorption spectra at the Ni-L2,3 edge and the Mo-L3 edge and the high-resolution partial fluorescence yield at the Pb-L3 edge indicate Pb2+2Ni2+Mo6+O6 valence states. Although in A2NiMoO6 (A = Sr2+, Pb2+, and Ba2+), the size of the A cation increases gradually from Sr2+ (1.44 Å) to Pb2+ (1.49 Å) to Ba2+ (1.61 Å), Pb2NiMoO6 exhibits much lower symmetry structure and AFM transition temperature, TN, compared with Sr2NiMoO6 (I4/m, TN = 81 K) and Ba2NiMoO6 (Fm3¯ m, TN = 64 K), which is attributed to the large distortion of NiO6 and MoO6 octahedra induced by the lone pair electron effect of Pb2+ with a 6s2 electronic configuration. Moreover, symmetry-breaking phase transition from a high-temperature centrosymmetric, cubic Fm3¯ m phase to a low-temperature non-centrosymmetric, monoclinic Pc phase was observed at 393-413 K in Pb2NiMoO6.