Novel compounds in the Sc-rich part of the systems Sc-{Co,Pd,Pt}-Ga: Structure and bonding

Author(s)
V.V. Romaka, Gerda Rogl, J. Buršík, A. Grytsiv, G. Giester, P. Rogl
Abstract

The present paper comprises a detailed structural analysis of two novel compounds in the Sc-Co-Ga system: τ3-Sc50Co13Ga3 (space group Fm-3; ε-Mg26-xAg7+x type), and τ4-Sc6Co1.73+x+yGa1-x (space group Immm; x=0.43; y=0.14; Ho6Co2Ga derivative type). Although alloys in the isothermal section are oxygen-free, the alloy of τ3, prepared for single crystal growth via partial melting in an alumina crucible, contained a minor amount of oxygen and can be considered as oxygen-stabilized Sc50Co13Ga3O1.1 (WDX-data). A search for homologous compounds in the systems Sc-{Pd,Pt}-Ga prompted the existence of two compounds Sc54{Pd,Pt,Ga}17, which from X-ray single crystal analyses proved both to be isotypic with the Hf54Os17-type structure (space group Immm). Whereas Sc54(Pd0.652Ga0.348)17 has a very limited homogeneity region at 850°C, Sc54(Pt1-xGax)17 exhibits at 850°C a large homogeneity region (0<x<0.28) extending from Ga-rich Sc76Pt17.2Ga6.8≡Sc54(Pt0.72Ga0.28)17 to novel binary Sc54Pt17. Interestingly, against the usual trend of solution hardening, hardness, Young's modulus and fracture toughness all decrease with increasing Ga-content: this effect is less pronounced for Sc54(Pd1-xGax)17 than for Sc54(Pt1-xGax)17 and is in line with DFT calculations indicating a weakening of bonding with increasing Ga content, thereby overcompensating the solution hardening effect. DFT modeling showed a common bonding feature for all the studied compounds – a strong electron localization inside the Sc6 octahedra, stacking of which leads to the formation of Mackay icosahedra in Sc54(Pd1-xGax)17, Sc54(Pt1-xGax)17, and Sc50Co13Ga3. The band structure of Sc6Co2.25Ga0.625 and Sc50Co13Ga3 indicates their metallic behavior, while Sc54(Pd1-xGax)17 and Sc54(Pt1-xGax)17 show distinct semimetal features. All investigated compounds in this work show similar trends in Bader charge distribution with a positively charged Sc-sublattice and a negatively charged sublattice formed by transition metals (Co, Pd, Pt) and Ga.

Organisation(s)
Department of Materials Chemistry, Department of Mineralogy and Crystallography
External organisation(s)
Leibniz-Institut für Festkörper- und Werkstoffforschung Dresden, Czech Academy of Sciences
Journal
Journal of Alloys and Compounds
Volume
998
Pages
1-18
No. of pages
18
ISSN
0925-8388
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2024.174864
Publication date
09-2024
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
105116 Mineralogy, 105113 Crystallography, 104017 Physical chemistry
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Mechanics of Materials, Mechanical Engineering, Metals and Alloys, Materials Chemistry
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/novel-compounds-in-the-scrich-part-of-the-systems-sccopdptga-structure-and-bonding(e971ad67-0c23-4f39-a81a-fa9f1f228b69).html