Structure of two new borates YCa3(AlO)3(BO3)4 and YCa3(GaO)3(BO3)4

By replacing Mn in YCa3(MnO)3(BO3)4 with trivalent Al and Ga, two new borates with the compositions of YCa3(MO)3(BO3)4 (M=Al, Ga) were prepared by solid-state reaction. Structure refinements from X-ray powder diffraction data revealed that both of them are isostructural to gaudefroyite with a hexagonal space group P63/m. Cell parameters of image, image for the Al-containing compound and image, image for the Ga analog were obtained from the refinements. The structure is constituted of AlO6 or GaO6 octahedral chains interconnected by BO3 groups in the ab plane to form a Kagomé-type lattice, leaving trigonal and apatite-like tunnels. It is found that most rare-earth and Cr, Mn ions can be substituted into the Y3+ and M3+ sites, respectively, and the preference of rare-earth ions to locate in the trigonal tunnel is correlated to the sizes of the M3+ ions.