Artificial Metals: InSb, the Sn Alloys with InSb, and Metallic InTe

Abstract

The metallic forms of indium antimonide, indium telluride, and the metallic alloys InSbSn, InSb${\mathrm{Sn}}_{2}$, and InSb${\mathrm{Sn}}_{4}$, were prepared at high temperature and high pressure, cooked, and subsequently quenched to -197\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C before release of the pressure to one atmosphere. The metastable metallic forms can be retained at one atmosphere pressure at low temperatures indefinitely and studied conveniently. InSb(II) and its metastable alloys with tin have lattice parameters essentially identical with those of metallic tin. The lattice parameter of the cubic form of indium telluride is 6.177\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.002 \AA{} at 25\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. The compressibilities of InSb(II), InSb(I) and of $\mathrm{Sn}(\ensuremath{\beta})$ at -197\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C are 0.9, 3.6, and 3.1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ ${\mathrm{bar}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, respectively. The compressibilities of InTe(I) and InTe(II) at 25\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C are 6.3 and 3.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ ${\mathrm{bar}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, respectively. The heat of transformation $\ensuremath{\Delta}{{H}^{0}}_{210}$, (1 atm) InSb(II) \ensuremath{\rightarrow} InSb(I) is -4.77\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.04 kcal per mole. The resistivity of InSb(II) at 77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K is 77\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ \ensuremath{\Omega}-cm. The velocity of sound in polycrystalline InSb(II) is approximately 3900 m/sec. The Brinnel hardness numbers of InSb(II) and $\mathrm{Sn}(\ensuremath{\beta})$ at 77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K are 230 and 46 kg ${\mathrm{mm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. InTe(II) is diamagnetic, its susceptibility is -0.14 emu ${\mathrm{g}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$.