A New High Pressure Form of Ba3NiSb2O9.

In the search of an experimental realization of quantum spin liquid phases we have synthesized polycrystalline samples of Ba3NiSb2O9 under high pressure-high temperature conditions. Combining X-ray powder diffraction, neutron powder diffraction and precession electron diffraction we show that the obtained phase isn't hexagonal as reported in the literature, but trigonal. This new structure shows triangular Ni planes, but only in domains of sizes of the order of 10 nm. It therefore is still interesting as a potential candidate for a quantum spin liquid.