Diterbium heptanickel: a crystal structure redetermination

The crystal structure of the title compound, Tb2Ni7, was redetermined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. In comparison with previous studies based on powder X-ray diffraction data [Lemaire et al. (1967). C. R. Acad. Sci. Ser. B, 265, 1280–1282; Lemaire & Paccard (1969). Bull. Soc. Fr. Mineral. Cristallogr. 92, 9–16; Buschow & van der Goot (1970). J. Less-Common Met. 22, 419–428], the present redetermination affords refined coordinates and anisotropic displacement parameters for all atoms. A partial occupation for one Tb atom results in the non-stoichiometric composition Tb1.962 (4)Ni7. The title compound adopts the Ce2Ni7 structure type and can also be derived from the CaCu5 structure type as an intergrowth structure. The asymmetric unit contains two Tb sites (both site symmetries 3m.) and five Ni sites (.m., mm2, 3m., 3m., -3m.). The two different coordination polyhedra of Tb are a Frank–Kasper polyhedron formed by four Tb and 12 Ni atoms and a pseudo Frank–Kasper polyhedron formed by two Tb and 18 Ni atoms. The four different coordination polyhedra of Ni are Frank–Kasper icosahedra formed by five Tb and seven Ni atoms, four Tb and eight Ni atoms, three Tb and nine Ni atoms, and six Tb and six Ni atoms, respectively.