DOE OSTI2020
Zr3Fe8Al is Hexagonal Laves-derived structured and crystallizes in the trigonal R3m space group. The structure is three-dimensional. there are three inequivalent Zr sites. In the first Zr site, Zr is bonded in a 12-coordinate geometry to four Zr and twelve Fe atoms. There are three shorter (3.05 Å) and one longer (3.08 Å) Zr–Zr bond lengths. There are a spread of Zr–Fe bond distances ranging from 2.89–2.92 Å. In the second Zr site, Zr is bonded in a 9-coordinate geometry to three equivalent Zr, twelve Fe, and one Al atom. There are a spread of Zr–Fe bond distances ranging from 2.85–3.00 Å. The Zr–Al bond length is 2.94 Å. In the third Zr site, Zr is bonded in a 12-coordinate geometry to one Zr, twelve Fe, and three equivalent Al atoms. There are a spread of Zr–Fe bond distances ranging from 2.80–2.91 Å. All Zr–Al bond lengths are 2.99 Å. There are four inequivalent Fe sites. In the first Fe site, Fe is bonded to four Zr, six Fe, and two equivalent Al atoms to form a mixture of corner, edge, and face-sharing FeZr4Al2Fe6 cuboctahedra. There are a spread of Fe–Fe bond distances ranging from 2.43–2.49 Å. Both Fe–Al bond lengths are 2.88 Å. In the second Fe site, Fe is bonded to five Zr, six Fe, and one Al atom to form a mixture of corner, edge, and face-sharing FeZr5AlFe6 cuboctahedra. There are a spread of Fe–Fe bond distances ranging from 2.44–2.48 Å. The Fe–Al bond length is 2.84 Å. In the third Fe site, Fe is bonded to three equivalent Zr, six Fe, and three equivalent Al atoms to form FeZr3Al3Fe6 cuboctahedra that share corners with eighteen FeZr4Al2Fe6 cuboctahedra, edges with six equivalent FeZr3Al3Fe6 cuboctahedra, and faces with eighteen FeZr4Al2Fe6 cuboctahedra. All Fe–Al bond lengths are 2.88 Å. In the fourth Fe site, Fe is bonded to six Zr and six Fe atoms to form FeZr6Fe6 cuboctahedra that share corners with eighteen FeZr4Al2Fe6 cuboctahedra, edges with six equivalent FeZr6Fe6 cuboctahedra, and faces with eighteen FeZr4Al2Fe6 cuboctahedra. Al is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to four Zr and twelve Fe atoms.