Single Crystal Growth and Structural Study of the New MCu2Zn20 (M = Nb, Hf) Compounds
Abstract
Two new cage-structured compounds—NbCu2Zn20 and HfCu2Zn20—belonging to the MM’2X20 (M, M’ = transition or rare earth metals, and X = Al, Zn, or Cd) family of structures have been synthesized via the self-flux method. The new compounds crystallize in the space group (Formula presented.) with lattice parameter 13.9013(2) Å for NbCu2Zn20 and 13.9856(2) Å for HfCu2Zn20. The structures follow the expected metallic radii trend in MM’20Zn20 (M = Nb or Hf, M’ = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu). While NbCu2Zn20 is stoichiometric, HfCu2Zn20 exhibits Cu/Zn site mixing and Hf-site underoccupancy, resulting in a final stoichiometry of Hf0.96Cu1.67Zn20.33 (Hf1–?Cu2–xZn20+x, ? = 0.04, x = 0.33).
Department(s)
Physics, Astronomy, and Materials Science
Document Type
Article
DOI
10.3390/cryst15050391
Keywords
cage structures, flux growth, single crystals, structural trends
Publication Date
5-1-2025
Recommended Citation
Longworth, Sarah M.; Mou, Marium M.; Yasmin, Nusrat; Noor, Md Fahel Bin; Sakidja, Ridwan; and Besara, Tiglet, "Single Crystal Growth and Structural Study of the New MCu2Zn20 (M = Nb, Hf) Compounds" (2025). Faculty Scholarship. 150.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/articles00/150
Journal Title
Crystals
