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Article
Gold Polar Intermetallics: Structural Versatility through Exclusive Bonding Motifs
Ames Laboratory Accepted Manuscripts
  • Volodymyr Smetana, Ames Laboratory and Stockholm University
  • Melissa Rhodehouse, Iowa State University and Ames Laboratory
  • Gerd Meyer, Iowa State University and Ames Laboratory
  • Anja-Verena Mudring, Iowa State University and Ames Laboratory
Publication Date
11-7-2017
Department
Ames Laboratory; Chemistry
OSTI ID+
1487216
Report Number
IS-J 9522
DOI
10.1021/acs.accounts.7b00316
Journal Title
Accounts of Chemical Research
Abstract

The design of new materials with desired chemical and physical characteristics requires thorough understanding of the underlying composition–structure–property relationships and the experimental possibility of their modification through the controlled involvement of new components. From this point of view, intermetallic phases, a class of compounds formed by two or more metals, present an endless field of combinations that produce several chemical compound classes ranging from simple alloys to true ionic compounds. Polar intermetallics (PICs) belong to the class that is electronically situated in the middle, between Hume–Rothery phases and Zintl compounds and possessing e/a (valence electron per atom) values around 2. In contrast to the latter, where logical rules of formation and classification systems were developed decades ago, polar intermetallics remain a dark horse with a huge diversity of crystal structures but unclear mechanisms of their formation. Partial incorporation of structural and bonding features from both nonpolar and Zintl compounds is commonly observed here. A decent number of PICs can be described in terms of complex metallic alloys (CMAs) following the Hume–Rothery electron-counting schemes but exhibit electronic structure changes that cannot be explained by the latter. Our research is aimed at the discovery and synthesis of new polar intermetallic compounds, their structural characterization, and investigation of their properties in line with the analysis of the principles connecting all of these components. Understanding of the basic structural tendencies is one of the most anticipated outcomes of this analysis, and systematization of the available knowledge is the initial and most important step.

DOE Contract Number(s)
AC02-07CH11358
Language
en
Publisher
Iowa State University Digital Repository, Ames IA (United States)
Citation Information
Volodymyr Smetana, Melissa Rhodehouse, Gerd Meyer and Anja-Verena Mudring. "Gold Polar Intermetallics: Structural Versatility through Exclusive Bonding Motifs" Vol. 50 Iss. 11 (2017) p. 2633 - 2641
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/gerd-meyer/11/