CuLi2Sn and Cu2LiSn: Characterization by single crystal XRD and structural discussion towards new anode materials for Li-ion batteries.

The stannides CuLi2Sn (CSD-427095) and Cu2LiSn (CSD-427096) were synthesized by induction melting of the pure elements and annealing at 400 °C. The phases were reinvestigated by X-ray powder and single-crystal X-ray diffractometry. Within both crystal structures the ordered CuSn and Cu2Sn lattices form channels which host Cu and Li atoms at partly mixed occupied positions exhibiting extensive vacancies. For CuLi2Sn, the space group F-43m. was verified (structure type CuHg2Ti; a=6.295(2) Å; wR2(F²)=0.0355 for 78 unique reflections). The 4(c) and 4(d) positions are occupied by Cu atoms and Cu+Li atoms, respectively. For Cu2LiSn, the space group P63/mmc was confirmed (structure type InPt2Gd; a=4.3022(15) Å, c=7.618(3) Å; wR2(F²)=0.060 for 199 unique reflections). The Cu and Li atoms exhibit extensive disorder; they are distributed over the partly occupied positions 2(a), 2(b) and 4(e). Both phases seem to be interesting in terms of application of Cu-Sn alloys as anode materials for Li-ion batteries.

Experimental investigation of the Cd-Pr phase diagram.

The complete Cd-Pr equilibrium phase diagram was investigated with a combination of powder-XRD, SEM and DTA. All intermetallic compounds within this system, already reported in literature, could be confirmed: CdPr, Cd2Pr, Cd3Pr, Cd45Pr11, Cd58Pr13, Cd6Pr and Cd11Pr. The corresponding phase boundaries were determined at distinct temperatures. The homogeneity range of the high-temperature allotropic modification of Pr could be determined precisely and a limited solubility of 22.1 at.% Cd was derived. Additionally, single-crystal X-ray diffraction was employed to investigate structural details of Cd2Pr; it is isotypic to the AlB2-type structure with a z value of the Cd site of 0.5. DTA results of alloys located in the adjacent two-phase fields of Cd2Pr suggested a phase transformation between 893 and 930°C. For the phase Cd3Pr it was found that the lattice parameter a changes linearly with increasing Cd content, following Vegard's rule. The corresponding defect mechanism could be evaluated from structural data collected with single-crystal XRD. Introduction of a significant amount of vacancies on the Pr site and the reduction in symmetry of one Cd position (8c to 32f) resulted in a noticeable decrease of all R-values.

Phase equilibria and structural investigations in the Ni-poor part of the system Al-Ge-Ni.

The ternary phase diagram Al-Ge-Ni was investigated between 0 and 50 at.% Ni by a combination of differential thermal analysis (DTA), powder- and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD), metallography and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Ternary phase equilibria and accurate phase compositions of the equilibrium phases were determined within two partial isothermal sections at 400 and 700 °C, respectively. The two binary intermediate phases AlNi and Al3Ni2 were found to form extended solid solutions with Ge in the ternary. Three new ternary phases were found to exist in the Ni-poor part of the phase diagram which were designated as τ1 (oC24, CoGe2-type), τ2 (at approximately Al67.5Ge18.0Ni14.5) and τ3 (cF12, CaF2-type). The ternary phases show only small homogeneity ranges. While τ1 was investigated by single crystal X-ray diffraction, τ2 and τ3 were identified from their powder diffraction pattern. Ternary phase reactions and melting behaviour were studied by means of DTA. A total number of eleven invariant reactions could be derived from these data, which are one ternary eutectic reaction, six transition reactions, three ternary peritectic reactions and one maximum. Based on the measured DTA values three vertical sections at 10, 20 and 35 at.% Ni were constructed. Additionally, all experimental results were combined to a ternary reaction scheme (Scheil diagram) and a liquidus surface projection.

Phase equilibria and structural investigations in the system Al-Fe-Si.

The Al-Fe-Si system was studied for an isothermal section at 800 °C in the Al-rich part and at 900 °C in the Fe-rich part, and for half a dozen vertical sections at 27, 35, 40, 50 and 60 at.% Fe and 5 at.% Al. Optical microscopy and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used for initial sample characterization, and Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of the annealed samples was used to determine the exact phase compositions. Thermal reactions were studied by Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA). Our experimental results are generally in good agreement with the most recent phase diagram versions of the system Al-Fe-Si. A new ternary high-temperature phase τ12 (cF96, NiTi2-type) with the composition Al48Fe36Si16 was discovered and was structurally characterized by means of single-crystal and powder XRD. The variation of the lattice parameters of the triclinic phase τ1 with the composition Al2+x Fe3Si3-x (-0.3 < x < 1.3) was studied in detail. For the binary phase FeSi2 only small solubility of Al was found in the low-temperature modification LT-FeSi2 (릧 ) but significant solubility in the high-temperature modification HT-FeSi2 (ζα ) (8.5 at.% Al). It was found that the high-temperature modification of FeSi2 is stabilized down to much lower temperature in the ternary, confirming earlier literature suggestions on this issue. DTA results in four selected vertical sections were compared with calculated sections based on a recent CALPHAD assessment. The deviations of liquidus values are significant suggesting the need for improvement of the thermodynamic models.