From clusters to crystals: scale chemistry of intermetallics

Abstract

We review different approaches to description, classification, and understanding of intermetallic structures of any complexity. All these approaches are based on the representation of the intermetallic structure as a periodic graph (net). A special attention is paid to the nanocluster model, which enables one to separate structural units and to describe their assemblage in intermetallics with strict computer algorithms. We demonstrate the abilities of the model with analysis of 12,315 intermetallic structures from the Inorganic Crystal Structure Database.