Single Crystal Growth of Lanthanum(III) Molybdate(VI) (La4Mo7O27) Using H3BO3 Flux

Abstract

Single crystals of La4Mo7O27 have been successfully grown by the flux growth method H3BO3 as the flux in a plantium crucible using the starting materials of La2O3, H3BO3 and MoO3 in a molar ratio of 0.16:0.16:0.68, in which H3BO3 acted as a flux. Transparent colorless crystals were obtained with size of 0.8 × 0.3 × 0.2 mm3 under the optimized crystal growth conditions: growth temperature of 727°C, growth time of 95 h and cooling rate of 0.5°C/hr. A well-developed morphology of the crystals was observed and analyzed. The preparation process of starting materials on crystal growth was investigated. The grown crystals were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), EDAX, SEM, UV-Vis, photoluminescence studies, thermal analysis, dielectric studies and second harmonic generation (SHG). The results are presented and discussed.