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Synthesis and Thermal Stability Studies of CaFe 4 As 3
Author(s) -
Yi Tanghong,
Dioguardi Adam P.,
Klavins Peter,
Curro Nicholas J.,
Zhao Liang L.,
Morosan E.,
Kauzlarich Susan M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
european journal of inorganic chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1099-0682
pISSN - 1434-1948
DOI - 10.1002/ejic.201100349
Subject(s) - chemistry , intermetallic , thermal stability , stoichiometry , phase (matter) , crystal structure , solid state , tetrahedron , crystallography , type (biology) , organic chemistry , ecology , alloy , biology
CaFe 4 As 3 is a new intermetallic structure type that can be described as a framework comprising of FeAs 4 tetrahedra. The structure has similarities to the 1‐2‐2 superconducting phase in that the Fe/As network is related to the ThCr 2 Si 2 structure. In addition, this phase shows magnetic transitions associated with spin density waves. This phase was prepared from a Sn flux, and it has recently been reported that further expansion of this structure type via chemical substitution is limited. We have developed a solid‐state synthesis route for the preparation of CaFe 4 As 3 that involves reacting a stoichiometric combination of the constituent elements. The thermal stability of this material was investigated over the 298–1473 K temperature range. An initial investigation of the Sn grown CaFe 4 As 3 crystals showed that residual Sn that was present on the surface of the crystals reacted with the crystals at temperatures above 1173 K to form new phases. A thermal stability study of Sn‐free CaFe 4 As 3 indicated that it decomposed to give CaFe 2 As 2 and Fe 2 As. The thermal behavior of CaFe 2 As 2 was also investigated and the data showed that it can also form CaFe 4 As 3 at high temperatures. The solid‐state synthesis route presented herein and additional solid solution studies may provide opportunities for the prepartion of materials with this structure type with improved electronic properties.