Advances in Zintl Phases
A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2019) | Viewed by 44041
Special Issue Editors
Interests: synthesis and characterization of inorganic materials and solid state chemistry for emerging technologies
Interests: synthesis and characterization of solid state inorganic complexes for energy applications
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Zintl phases have received rapidly-increasing attention over the past decade due to their potentially-useful electronic, thermal, as well as magnetic properties. Zintl phases are considered a subset of the intermetallics, with properties ranging from insulating to metallic, but the main premise is the simple idea of ionic and covalent bonding within an intermetallic composition. In the most restrictive definition, Zintl phases are semiconducting intermetallics, where the electropositive cation provides the necessary electrons to the more electronegative metalloids in order to obtain a closed shell electronic configuration. If there are not enough electrons for isolated anions, then polyanionic units are formed to satisfy valence. Since this original definition, the description of Zintl phases has been greatly expanded with both rare earth cations and transition metals employed to access a diversity of composition, structures and properties. While these new phases have significant complexity, the structures can consistently be described as valence precise and simplistic electron counting provides a starting point for considering properties. The diverse behaviors displayed are often directly related to the atomic interactions in these unique compounds, as well as their diversity of structures. As prospects grow for utilizing these materials in energy harvesting, energy conversion, and energy storage applications, the compositional diversity they afford provides a broad materials space for further scientific and technological discovery.
This Special Issue aims to provide a forum for contributions focused on all aspects of Zintl phases, both traditional Zintl phases and those that can be included with an expanded definition (containing transition metals, rare earths, etc.), including new experimental and theoretical research that advances the understanding of the synthesis, structure, physical, and chemical properties, as well as applications of materials that can be described as Zintl phases or variants thereof.
Prof. Susan Kauzlarich
Dr. Sabah K. Bux
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- Zintl
- Intermetallics
- Structure-property relationships
- Thermoelectrics
- Photovoltaics
- Energy storage
- Energy conversion
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