First discovery and structural characterization of a new compound in Al-Si-O-C system

A quaternary oxycarbide, [Al16.77(5)Si1.23(5)]Σ18[O3.04(9)C10.96(9)]Σ14, has been for the first time discovered in the Al-Si-O-C system. The crystal structure was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The atom ratios [Al:Si] were determined by EDX, and the initial structural model was derived by the direct methods. The structural parameters as well as the atom ratios [O:C] were determined by the Rietveld method. The crystal is monoclinic (space group C2/m, Z=1) with lattice dimensions a=0.57404(1) nm, b=0.331435(5) nm, c=1.92410(2) nm, β=90.036(1)o and V=0.366076(9) nm3. The final structural model showed the positional disordering of Al/Si sites. The validity of the split-atom model was verified by the three-dimensional electron density distribution, the structural bias of which was reduced as much as possible using the maximum-entropy methods-based pattern fitting (MPF). The reliability indices calculated from the MPF were Rwp=4.20% (S=1.14), Rp=3.09%, RB=0.92% and RF=1.05%. The crystal was an inversion twin with nearly the same twin fraction. - Graphical abstract: A quaternary oxycarbide firstly discovered in the Al-Si-O-C system. The crystal is an inversion twin, and hence the structure is represented by a split-atom model. The three-dimensional electron density distribution is determined by the maximum-entropy methods-based pattern fitting, being consistent with the disordered structural model.