Cu11In9 - Revised crystal structure and its (physicochemical) relation to Cu10In7

Summary, in English

The literature data on the region at about 55-60 at.% Cu in the Cu-In phase diagram is somewhat confusing. With Cu10In7 and Cu11In9, two intermetallic compounds have been reported whose structures are alike and both are reported to be stable over a similar temperature range. Here, we show that Cu10In7 can be synthesized and characterized in agreement with the study by Piao and Lidin. Moreover, thermoanalytic methods (TA) reveal that Cu11In9, ht-Cu7In4 (A-phase) and In are formed upon cooling after re-melting of Cu10In7 without further heat treatments. For comparison, Cu11In9 has been synthesized using the original method by Rajasekharan and Schubert. Applying the same TA program to Cu11In9 the result from Cu10In7 was reproduced. Single crystal X-ray diffraction experiments prove that the reported crystal structure analysis of Cu11In9 is incomplete. We find a unit cell in agreement with that reported (as a = 12.8212(6)angstrom, b = 4.3548(5) angstrom, c = 7.3574(3)angstrom, beta = 125.523(1)degrees), but the structure is somewhat different containing an additional, partially occupied position and a different elemental balance on one mixed position. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

• Author: Carola Müller; Sven Lidin
• Department/s: Centre for Analysis and Synthesis
• Publishing year: 2015
• Language: English
• Pages: 393-397
• Publication/Series: Journal of Alloys and Compounds
• Volume: 638
• Links: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2015.03.106
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Topic: Materials Chemistry; Inorganic Chemistry
• Keywords: Intermetallics; Cu-In phase diagram; Crystal structure
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 0925-8388