Synthesis and structure of a new mixed cuprate-titanate: La2Sr4Cu2Ti2O13

A new mixed cuprate-titanate compound with nominal composition of La2Sr4Cu2Ti2O13 has been prepared. Cell parameters of a = 3.8818(1) إ and c = 20.3118(6) إ have been obtained from indexing the X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the samples. The structure refined from the XRD pattern showed that the compound is related to Ruddlesden-Popper phase with Cu and Ti statistically occupying the Ti position in Sr3Ti2O7. The oxygen vacancies were found at apical sites between the double Cu/Ti-O layers. We were unable to make the samples superconducting or more conductive due to the disordered nature of Ti/Cu occupation and oxygen vacancies in the samples.