Nb2OsB2, with a new twofold superstructure of the U3Si2 type: Synthesis, crystal chemistry and chemical bonding

Abstract

The new ternary metal-rich boride, Nb 2 OsB 2 , was synthesized by arc-melting the elements in a water-cooled copper crucible under an argon atmosphere. The compound was characterized from single-crystal X-ray data and EDX measurements. It crystallizes as a new superstructure (space group P 4/ mnc , no. 128) of the tetragonal U 3 Si 2 -structure type with lattice parameters a =5.922(1) Å and c =6.879(2) Å. All of the B atoms are involved in B 2 dumbbells with B–B distances of 1.89(4) Å. Structure relaxation using VASP (Vienna ab intio Simulation Package) has confirmed the space group and the lattice parameters. According to electronic structure calculations (TB–LMTO–ASA), the homoatomic B–B interactions are optimized and very strong, but relatively strong heteroatomic Os–B, Nb–B and Nb–Os bonds are also found: These interactions, which together build a three-dimensional network, are mainly responsible for the structural stability of this new phase. The density of state at the Fermi level predicts metallic behavior, as expected, from this metal-rich boride. Nb 2 OsB 2 is, to the best of our knowledge, the first fully characterized phase in the ternary Nb–Os–B system. It crystallizes (space group P 4/ mnc , 128) with a new twofold superstructure of the U 3 Si 2 structure type (space group P 4/ mbm , 127), and is therefore the first boride in this structure family crystallizing with a superstructure of the U 3 Si 2 structure type. We show that the distortions leading to this superstructure occurs mainly in the Nb-layer, which tries to accommodate the large osmium atoms. The consequence of this puckering is the building osmium dumbbells instead of chains along [001]. • First compound in the Nb–Os–B system. • New twofold superstructure of U 3 Si 2 structure type. • Puckering of Nb-layer responsible for superstructure occurrence. • Chemical bonding studied by density functional theory.