Crystal growth and physical characterization of NaBaVS4 obtained from sodium polysulfide flux

Single crystals of NaBaVS4 were grown by precipitation from a sodium polysu lfide flux at temperatures below 350 degrees C. The compound crystallizes i n the centrosymmetric monoclinic space group P2(1)/n, with four formula uni ts per unit cell. The unit cell dimensions are a = 6.143(12) Angstrom, b = 9.480(2) Angstrom, c = 11.667(2) Angstrom and beta = 102.149(14)degrees. Th e V5+ cations are surrounded by a tetrahedron of sulfide anions, the Ba2+ c ations are coordinated by nine sulfides in a distorted tricapped trigonal p rismatic array, and the Na+ cations, which are disordered, are surrounded b y seven sulfide ions. Conductivity and magnetic susceptibility studies of a single crystal show that it is a non-magnetic insulator, which suggests th at it is a normal valence compound. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All righ ts reserved.