Structural studies of SrFeO3 and SrFe0.5Nb0.5O3 by employing XRD and XANES spectroscopic techniques

The perovskite based SrFeO3 and SrFe0.5Nb0.5O3 materials have been synthesized by solid state reaction methods. The structural properties are investigated using a combination of X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopic techniques. From the Rietveld refinement of the X-ray diffraction data it has been observed that SrFeO3 has a simple cubic perovskite structure, which is consistent with the previous literature results; whereas SrFe0.5Nb0.5O3 shows a tetragonal structure within P4mm space group. X-ray absorption results demonstrate that the valence state of Fe in SrFeO3 is (IV); however, it changes to (III) when 50% Nb5+ is substituted at the Fe sites.