Synthesis of rutile-type solid solution Ni1−xCoxTi(Nb1−yTay)2O8 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1, 0 ≤ y ≤ 1) and its optical property

Rutile-type solid solutions; Ni1−xCoxTi(Nb1−yTay)2O8 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1, 0 ≤ y ≤ 1) were prepared by high temperature solid state reaction. The solid solutions of noibates (y = 0) had a rutile-type structure and those of tantalates (y = 1.0) had a trirutile-type one. The trirutile-type structure appeared in the composition of y ≥ 0.4. The crystal structures of these solid solutions for niobates and tantalates were refined by using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data and the R-factors were Rwp = 1.76-1.92% and Rp = 1.13-1.19% for niobates and Rwp = 10.3-12.2% and Rp = 6.78-9.14% for tantalates. Their lattice parameters for noibates ranges from a = 4.69413(2) to 4.70411(2) Å and c = 3.02187(1) to 3.03242(1) Å and those for tantalates ranges from a = 4.6946(2) to 4.7065(2) Å and c = 9.0829(3) to 9.1164(4) Å. The optical band gap for these solid solutions ranged from 1.63 to 2.50 eV and only NiTiTa2O8 exhibited photocatalytic activity for phenol decomposition under UV light irradiation. The dielectric constants for four end members, NiTiNb2O8, CoTiNb2O8, NiTiTa2O8 and CoTiTa2O8 were 25-75 in the temperature range from room temperature to 300 °C.