A new double molybdate of erbium and zirconium, its crystalline structure and properties

A new double molybdate of erbium and zirconium, Er2Zr(MoO4)5 was synthesized by a simple solid-state reaction. The crystal structure was determined using powder X-ray diffraction data, the Rietveld method and the derivative difference minimization method (DDM). The new phase crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Cmc21. The dielectric properties and thermal expansion between 298 and 1073 K were investigated. The synthesized compound showed an electrical conductivity of about 10−2 S cm−1 at high temperature.