A new europium(III) silicophosphate, whose formula may be considered to be
Eu2Si(PO4)(2)(P2O7), has been found to consist of phosphosilicate chains wi
th Si-O-P-O-P-O- Si backbones extending in the a direction. The P2O7 group
and the Si atom both lie on crystallographic twofold axes. Tetrahedral sili
con is further bound to two monophosphate groups. This is a silicophosphate
of previously unseen type.