Evidence for new phases in the Zr, Ln-Ru-P systems

Crystallochemical analysis of the binary compounds □2Cr12P7 and □6Rh20Si13 prompted us to introduce rare earth elements and zirconium into the trigonal prismatic metalloids in order to obtain ternary compounds. Our current study of the Zr, Ln-Ru-P systems shows the existence of many new ternary phosphides of formulae (Zr, La)2Ru12P7, (Zr, La)5Ru19P12, (Zr, Ln)6Ru20P13, (Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm and Y) and La20Ru66P43. All of them crystallize in the hexagonal lattice with structures of different arrangements derived from the same basic rhombohedral motif. The differences amongst these arrangements result from the introduction of different proportions of various metallic elements. (author)