Interstitial positions of tin ions in alpha-(FerichSn)(2)O-3 solid solutions prepared by mechanical alloying

The microstructure of samples of 91, 85, and 71 mol % alpha-Fe-2-O-3-SnO2. prepared by mechanical alloying, has been studied by x-ray diffraction with Rietveld structure refinements, On the basis of the structure refinements to the whole x-ray diffraction patterns for the four as-milled samples, it is found that tin ions do not substitute iron ions in the solid solution, although this model is generally assumed in the literature. The Sn4+ ions occupy the empty octahedral holes in the lattice of the alpha-Fe2O3 phase.