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Non-oxide perovskites exhibit unusual properties such as negative thermal expansion, negative thermal coefficient of resistance, positive and negative giant magnetoresistance as well as superconductivity. These uncommon properties appear to originate from the basic structure only, in strong contrast to the oxides. Ordering in nonstoichiometric compounds may not only lead to different chemical compositions but also to the promotion of these physical properties. We present a combined NMR and first-principles study of the cubic Zr 2 Ir 6 B perovskite to investigate the boron ordering with boron deficiency leading to the formation of superstructure. Competing ionic and metallic interactions reflect the semimetallic character of this boride and result in the formation of a pseudogap, as predicted by our first principles calculations and verified experimentally by 11 B solid state NMR. Several avoided crossing scenarios were also found for the bands from the conducting states at +1 eV to the Fermi level along specific directions. This observation is of paramount importance for understanding the structure-property relationships in metal boride perovskites and the search for new cubic perovskites.

SrPt3Al2, a CaCu5 relative (P6/mmm; a = 566.29(3), c = 389.39(3) pm; wR2 = 0.0202, 121 F2 values, 9 parameters), and Sr2Pd2Al, isostructural to Ca2Pt2Ge (Fdd2; a = 1041.45(5), b = 1558.24(7), c = 604.37(3) pm; wR2 = 0.0291, 844 F2 values, 25 parameters) have been prepared from the elements. The crystal structures have been investigated by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Structural relaxation confirmed the electronic stability of SrPt3Al2, while orthorhombic Sr2Pd2Al might be a metastable polymorph as it is energetically competitive to its monoclinic variant. Both compounds are predicted to be metallic conductors as their density-of-states (DOS) are non-zero at the Fermi level. COHP bonding analysis coupled with Bader effective charge analysis suggest that the title compounds are polar intermetallic phases in which strong Pt–Al and Pd–Al covalent bonds are present, while a significant electron transfer from Sr atoms to the [Pt3Al2]δ– or [Pd2Al]δ– network is found.

The new ternary transition metal-rich borides Ta2OsB2 and TaRuB have been successfully synthesized by arc-melting the elements in a water-cooled crucible under an argon atmosphere. The crystal structures of both compounds were solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and their metal compositions were confirmed by EDX analysis. It was found that Ta2OsB2 and TaRuB crystallize in the tetragonal Nb2OsB2 (space group P4/mnc, no. 128) and the orthorhombic NbRuB (space group Pmma, no. 51) structure types with lattice parameters a=5.878(2) A, c=6.857(2) A and a=10.806(2) A, b=3.196(1) A, c=6.312(2) A, respectively. Furthermore, crystallographic, electronic and bonding characteristics have been studied by density functional theory (DFT). Electronic structure relaxation has confirmed the crystallographic parameters while COHP bonding analysis indicates that B2-dummbells are the strongest bonds in both compounds. Moreover, the formation of osmium dumbbells in Ta2OsB2 through a Peierls distortion along the c-axis, is found to be the origin of superstructure formation. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal that the two phases are Pauli paramagnets, thus confirming the theoretical DOS prediction of metallic character. Also hints of superconductivity are found in the two phases, however lack of single phase samples has prevented confirmation. Furthermore, the thermodynamic stability of the two modifications of AMB (A=Nb, Ta; M =Ru, Os) are studied using DFT, as new possible phases containing either B4- or B2-units are predicted, the former being the most thermodynamically stable modification.

The elastic properties of A 2 FeB 2 (A = Nb, Ta, Mo 2 FeB 2 -type structure) and their higher homologues A 2 OsB 2 and the predicted “A 2 RuB 2 ” (both with Nb 2 OsB 2 -type structure) have been investigated within the density functional theory (DFT) framework. Furthermore, the influence of magnetism, bonding and electronic structure on the elastic properties in the A 2 MB 2 series (A = Nb, Ta; M = Fe, Ru, Os) was studied. Ta 2 FeB 2 is predicted to order antiferromagnetically just like Nb 2 FeB 2 and Mo 2 FeB 2 . Magnetism affects the elastic properties of both Nb 2 FeB 2 and Ta 2 FeB 2 in a similar manner, but different from Mo 2 FeB 2 . We predict the ternary A 2 MB 2 (A = Nb, Ta; M = Ru, Os) diborides to have comparable mechanical properties as the binary hard and ultraincompressible diborides RuB 2 and OsB 2 . In general in these ternary diborides, the bulk modulus is heavily influenced by the strength of the chemical bonding (Integrated Crystal Orbital Hamilton Population: ICOHP) while the shear modulus is mainly affected by the position of the Fermi level in the density-of-states.

The Nb2FeB2 phase (U3Si2-type, space group P4/mbm, no. 127) is known for almost 50 years, but until now its magnetic properties have not been investigated. While the synthesis of Nb2OsB2 (space group P4/mnc, no. 128, a twofold superstructure of U3Si2-type) with distorted Nb-layers and Os2-dumbbells was recently achieved, “Nb2RuB2” is still not synthesized and its crystal structure is yet to be revealed. Our first principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations have confirmed not only the experimental structures of Nb2FeB2 and Nb2OsB2, but also predict “Nb2RuB2” to crystalize with the Nb2OsB2 structure type. According to chemical bonding analysis, the homoatomic B–B interactions are optimized and very strong, but relatively strong heteroatomic M–B, B–Nb and M–Nb bonds (M=Fe, Ru, Os) are also found. These interactions, which together build a three-dimensional network, are mainly responsible for the structural stability of these ternary borides. The density-of-states at the Fermi level predicts metallic behavior, as expected, from metal-rich borides. Analysis of possible magnetic structures concluded preferred antiferromagnetic ordering for Nb2FeB2, originating from ferromagnetic interactions within iron chains and antiferromagnetic exchange interactions between them.

The new ternary metal-rich boride, Nb{sub 2}OsB{sub 2}, was synthesized by arc-melting the elements in a water-cooled copper crucible under an argon atmosphere. The compound was characterized from single-crystal X-ray data and EDX measurements. It crystallizes as a new superstructure (space group P4/mnc, no. 128) of the tetragonal U{sub 3}Si{sub 2}-structure type with lattice parameters a=5.922(1) A and c=6.879(2) A. All of the B atoms are involved in B{sub 2} dumbbells with B–B distances of 1.89(4) A. Structure relaxation using VASP (Vienna ab intio Simulation Package) has confirmed the space group and the lattice parameters. According to electronic structure calculations (TB–LMTO–ASA), the homoatomic B–B interactions are optimized and very strong, but relatively strong heteroatomic Os–B, Nb–B and Nb–Os bonds are also found: These interactions, which together build a three-dimensional network, are mainly responsible for the structural stability of this new phase. The density of state at the Fermi level predicts metallic behavior, as expected, from this metal-rich boride. - Graphical abstract: Nb{sub 2}OsB{sub 2} is, to the best of our knowledge, the first fully characterized phase in the ternary Nb–Os–B system. It crystallizes (space group P4/mnc, 128) with a new twofold superstructure of the U{sub 3}Si{sub 2} structure type (spacemore » group P4/mbm, 127), and is therefore the first boride in this structure family crystallizing with a superstructure of the U{sub 3}Si{sub 2} structure type. We show that the distortions leading to this superstructure occurs mainly in the Nb-layer, which tries to accommodate the large osmium atoms. The consequence of this puckering is the building osmium dumbbells instead of chains along [001]. - Highlights: • First compound in the Nb–Os–B system. • New twofold superstructure of U{sub 3}Si{sub 2} structure type. • Puckering of Nb-layer responsible for superstructure occurrence. • Chemical bonding studied by density functional theory.« less