Abstract
The polycrystalline powder of (BaLa)(MgMo)$O_6$ has been prepared at $1350^{\circ}C$ in a nitrogen flowing atmosphere. The powder X-ray diffraction pattern indicates that (BaLa)(MgMo)$O_6$ has a cubic perovskite structure ($a_0$ = 8.019(3) $\AA)$ with 1:1 ordering or $Mg^{2+}$ and $Mo^{5+}$ in the oxide lattice. The infrared spectrum shows two strong absorption bands with their maxima at 600(${\nu}3$) and 365(${\nu}4$) cm-1, which are attributed to $2T_{1U}$, modes of molybdenum octahedra MoO6 in the crystal lattice. According to the magnetic susceptibility measurement, the compound shows a paramagnetic behavior which follows the Curie-Weiss law below room temperature with the effective magnetic moment 1.60(1){$\mu}B$, which is consistent with that of spin only value ($1.73{\mu}B$) for $Mo^{5+}$ ($4d^1$ electronic configuration). From the thermogravimetric and X-ray diffraction analyses, it has been found that (BaLa)(MgMo)$O_6$ decomposes gradually into $BaMoO_4$, $MoO_3$ and unidentified phases above $900^{\circ}C$ in an ambient atmosphere, absorbing about 0.25 mole $O_2$ per mole of Mo ion, which also supports that oxidation state of $Mo^{5+}$ in the (BaLa)(MgMo)$O_6$.