The germanides ScTGe (T = Co, Ni, Cu, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Ir, Pt, Au) – Structure and 45Sc solid state NMR spectroscopy

Abstract

The germanides ScTGe (T = Co, Ni, Cu, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Ir, Pt, Au) were obtained in X-ray pure form by arc-melting of the elements. The structures of the members with T = Co, Ni, Cu, Rh, Pd, Ag, Ir, and Pt were refined on the basis of single crystal X-ray diffractometer data. The germanides with T = Cu, Ru, Pd, Ag crystallize with the hexagonal ZrNiAl type structure, space group P6¯2m and those with T = Co, Ni, Rh, Ir, Pt adopt the orthorhombic TiNiSi type. ScAuGe is isotypic with NdPtSb. All germanides exhibit single scandium sites. A simple systematization of the structure type according to the valence electron concentration is not possible. The 45Sc solid state NMR parameters (Knight shifts and nuclear electric quadrupole coupling constants) of those members crystallizing in the TiNiSi structure show systematic trends as a function of valence electron concentration number. Furthermore, within each T-group the Knight shift decreases with increasing atomic number; this correlation also includes previously published results on the isotypic silicide family. The 45Sc quadrupolar interaction tensor components are generally well-reproduced by quantum mechanical electric field gradient calculations using the WIEN2k code.