Novel Class of Rhenium Borides Based on Hexagonal Boron Networks Interconnected by Short B₂ Dumbbells
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In: Chemistry of materials Volume 34 / (2022-09-06) , S. ; eissn:1520-5002
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Transition metal borides are known due to their attractive mechanical, electronic, refractive, and other properties. A new class of rhenium borides was identified by synchrotron single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments in laser-heated diamond anvil cells between 26 and 75 GPa. Recoverable to ambient conditions, compounds rhenium triboride (ReB₃) and rhenium tetraboride (ReB₄) consist of close-packed single layers of rhenium atoms alternating with boron networks built from puckered hexagonal layers, which link short bonded (∼1.7 Å) axially oriented B2 dumbbells. The short and incompressible Re–B and B–B bonds oriented along the hexagonal c-axis contribute to low axial compressibility comparable with the linear compressibility of diamond. Sub-millimeter samples of ReB₃ and ReB₄ were synthesized in a large-volume press at pressures as low as 33 GPa and used for material characterization. Crystals of both compounds are metallic and hard (Vickers hardness, HV = 34(3) GPa). Geometrical, crystal-chemical, and theoretical analysis considerations suggest that potential ReBₓ compounds with x > 4 can be based on the same principle of structural organization as in ReB₃ and ReB₄ and possess similar mechanical and electronic properties
@article{doi:10.17170/kobra-202304207856, author ={Bykova, Elena and Johansson, Erik and Bykov, Maxim and Chariton, Stella and Fei, Hongzhan and Ovsyannikov, Sergey V. and Aslandukova, Alena and Gabel, Stefan and Holz, Hendrik and Merle, Benoit and Alling, Björn and Abrikosov, Igor Anatolievich and Smith, Jesse S. and Prakapenka, Vitali B. and Katsura, Tomoo and Dubrovinskaia, Natalia and Goncharov, Alexander F. and Dubrovinsky, Leonid}, title ={Novel Class of Rhenium Borides Based on Hexagonal Boron Networks Interconnected by Short B₂ Dumbbells}, keywords ={540 and Bor and Rhenium and Kristallstruktur}, copyright ={http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/}, language ={en}, journal ={Chemistry of materials}, year ={2022-09-06} }