A　new　barium　aluminoborate,　Ba-8[(Al-6(IV))(Al-2(IV))(Al-2(V))(B12O41)-O-III](infinity),　has　been　prepared　by　solid　state　reaction　method　below　770　degrees　C,　with　adding　Bi2O3　as　a　flux.　Single-crystal　XRD　analysis　showed　that　it　crystallizes　in　the　triclinic　space　group　P　(1)　over　bar　with　a　=　9.2437(11)　angstrom,　b　=　9.8100(12)　angstrom,　c　=　11.0830(14)　angstrom,　alpha　=　76.130(10)degrees,　beta　=　73.550(9)degrees,　gamma　=　77.990(10)degrees,　Z　=　1.　The　crystal　structure　contains　Latin　capital　H　letter　shaped　Al6O1920-　groups　built　up　from　six　corner-sharing　AlO4　tetrahedra.　The　Al6O1920-　groups,　AlO4　tetrahedra,　AlO5　trigonal　bipyramids,　and　BO3　triangles　are　linked　to　form　a　two-dimensional　[(Al-6(IV))(Al-2(IV))(Al-2(V))(B12O41)-O-III](16-)　layer　by　sharing　O　vertices.　The　layers　are　stacked　along　the　c-axis,　with　the　interlayer　void　spaces　and　intralayer　open　channels　occupied　by　Ba2+　cations　to　balance　charge.　The　IR　spectrum　further　confirmed　the　presence　of　BO3　groups.　UV-Vis　diffuse　reflectance　spectrum　showed　a　band　gap　of　about　3.10　eV.　Solid-state　fluorescence　spectrum　exhibited　a　broad　emission　band　at　around　430　nm.　Band　structure　calculations　indicated　that　it　is　a　direct　band　material　with　the　calculated　band　gap　(3.25　eV)　close　to　the　observed　one.　(C)　2011　Elsevier　B.　V.　All　rights　reserved.