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Title: Cation-poor complex metallic alloys in Ba(Eu)–Au–Al(Ga) systems: Identifying the keys that control structural arrangements and atom distributions at the atomic level

Journal Article · · Inorganic Chemistry

Four complex intermetallic compounds BaAu6±xGa6±y (x = 1, y = 0.9) (I), BaAu6±xAl6±y (x = 0.9, y = 0.6) (II), EuAu6.2Ga5.8 (III), and EuAu6.1Al5.9 (IV) have been synthesized, and their structures and homogeneity ranges have been determined by single crystal and powder X-ray diffraction. Whereas I and II originate from the NaZn13-type structure (cF104–112, Fm3C), III (tP52, P4/nbm) is derived from the tetragonal Ce2Ni17Si9-type, and IV (oP104, Pbcm) crystallizes in a new orthorhombic structure type. Both I and II feature formally anionic networks with completely mixed site occupation by Au and triel (Tr = Al, Ga) atoms, while a successive decrease of local symmetry from the parental structures of I and II to III and, ultimately, to IV correlates with increasing separation of Au and Tr on individual crystallographic sites. Density functional theory-based calculations were employed to determine the crystallographic site preferences of Au and the respective triel element to elucidate reasons for the atom distribution (“coloring scheme”). Chemical bonding analyses for two different “EuAu6Tr6” models reveal maximization of the number of heteroatomic Au–Tr bonds as the driving force for atom organization. The Fermi levels fall in broad pseudogaps for both models allowing some electronic flexibility. Spin-polarized band structure calculations on the “EuAu6Tr6” models hint to singlet ground states for europium and long-range magnetic coupling for both EuAu6.2Ga5.8 (III) and EuAu6.1Al5.9 (IV). This is substantiated by experimental evidence because both compounds show nearly identical magnetic behavior with ferromagnetic transitions at TC = 6 K and net magnetic moments of 7.35 μB/f.u. at 2 K. As a result, the effective moments of 8.3 μB/f.u., determined from Curie–Weiss fits, point to divalent oxidation states for europium in both III and IV.

Research Organization:
Ames Lab., Ames, IA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-07CH11358
OSTI ID:
1234462
Report Number(s):
IS-J-8872
Journal Information:
Inorganic Chemistry, Vol. 54, Issue 21; ISSN 0020-1669
Publisher:
American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 27 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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The Crystal Orbital Hamilton Population (COHP) Method as a Tool to Visualize and Analyze Chemical Bonding in Intermetallic Compounds text January 2018
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Revealing the Nature of Bonding in Rare-Earth Transition-Metal Tellurides by Means of Methods Based on First Principles: Revealing the Nature of Bonding in Rare-Earth Transition-Metal Tellurides by Means of Methods Based on First Principles journal July 2017
Revealing Tendencies in the Electronic Structures of Polar Intermetallic Compounds text January 2018
Revealing the Nature of Chemical Bonding in an ALn2Ag3Te5-Type Alkaline-Metal (A) Lanthanide (Ln) Silver Telluride text January 2019
The Crystal Orbital Hamilton Population (COHP) Method as a Tool to Visualize and Analyze Chemical Bonding in Intermetallic Compounds journal May 2018