The synthesis of novel, metastable materials has potential to affect areas of science and physics as such compounds can exhibit unrivaled structural complexity, unique bonding, and unusual properties. High-pressure synthesis is an especially powerful tool for isolating new intermetallic compounds that cannot be realized using traditional solid-state syntheses. In this presentation, we describe the synthesis and structural characterization of the first Cu–Bi binary intermetallic compounds, CuBi and Cu11Bi7, which are synthesized at ~4 GPa and ~250 °C and ~6 GPa and ~500 °C, respectively. Both compounds can be derived from the NiAs structure type by ordered vacancies of the Cu atoms. Cu11Bi7 features one-dimensional channels formed by Bi atoms, while CuBi adopts a layered structure where the layers are formed by Bi atoms. The distinguishing feature of the Cu–Bi binary intermetallic compounds is that of channels and layers formed by Bi atoms, which we attribute to nonbonding electrons, or sterochemically active lone pairs, on the Bi atom. In situ X-ray diffraction experiments performed at high-pressure and –temperature conditions in a diamond anvil cell allow for experimental mapping of phase stability at high-pressures. The presence of multiple high-pressure stabilized phases in the Cu–Bi binary system, which can be readily identified with in situ techniques, gives promise for other binary systems in which no ambient pressure phases exist.

Creating binary Cu–Bi compounds at high pressure

254th National Meeting (2017)

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