New Pr1-xZrxO2-y oxides with x < 0.5 have been prepared by co-precipitation in basic medium and annealed under air at high temperatures (T≤ 1200 °C). Defined compositions with x = 0.02, 0.1, 0.2, 0.35, 0.40 and 0.5 have been characterized by XRD, Zr-K-edge EXAFS for the local structure, magnetic susceptibility measurements, and Pr LIII-edge XANES in order to identify the variation of the cell parameter and Zr local environment versus Zr content and Pr(n+) (4 < n < 3) oxidation states. The higher the Zr content, the lower the Pr valence state. The Zr amount stabilized in the distorted octahedral site is at the origin of the formation of defined compositions as discovered by Leroy Eyring et al. in the PrnO2n-2m series and the generation of oxygen vacancies stabilized in the fluorite-type network. TGA and TPR analyses help to follow the reduction properties under Ar/5% H2 and show high Pr reducible rates at low temperatures (T < 250 °C). The identification of the fluorite-type superstructure (SG: Ia3[combining macron]) of reduced compositions annealed at T = 900 °C under Ar/5% H2 shows the cationic and oxygen vacancy ordering. This feature plays a key role with Zr(4+) cations stabilized in flattened octahedral sites for the generation of oxygen vacancies and the stabilization of Pr(3+) in the reduced states.

Pure, Sn-doped and Mg/Sn co-doped α-Fe2O3 hematite samples were synthesized by precipitation process. Fe2O3 is the most popular red mineral pigment which is used largely in traditional ceramics, tar and concrete. The compounds were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning transmission electronic microscopy (energy dispersive X-ray cartography), Mössbauer spectroscopy, magnetic investigations versus temperature and visible–NIR spectroscopy. Both 57Fe and 119Sn Mössbauer analyses combined with rietveld XRD refinements are the ideal techniques to characterize tin–iron oxides. Hence, thanks to these techniques it was shown how the synthesis temperature influences directly the grain size and the dopants concentration limit which can be incorporated into the host hematite matrix. The stabilization of these tetravalent and divalent dopants into the hematite framework leads to reduce the crystal growth and to limit the (AF) ordering due to the formation of cationic vacancies. The study of the Morin magnetic transition emphasizes this demonstration. In a second part, the influence of the dopants incorporation on the material color was investigated in order to show which key parameters allow improving the red color saturation of iron oxides. In order to improve the red color of the hematites, it was shown that the introduction of cationic vacancies—limiting the octahedral distortion thanks to the interruption of the dissymmetric metal–metal orbital coupling—is the key point. Vacancies are created by Sn4+, doping for an increase of the introduced Sn4+ concentration; it acts to the detriment of the color saturation.