DOE OSTI2020
Li4Cd3Zn crystallizes in the trigonal R3m space group. The structure is three-dimensional. there are four inequivalent Li sites. In the first Li site, Li is bonded to one Li and four Cd atoms to form distorted LiLiCd4 tetrahedra that share a cornercorner with one CdLi4Cd4 tetrahedra, corners with twenty-one LiLiCd4 tetrahedra, edges with three equivalent LiLi3Cd4 tetrahedra, edges with three equivalent CdLi4Cd4 tetrahedra, and faces with four LiLi4Zn3Cd7 tetrahedra. The Li–Li bond length is 2.81 Å. There are three shorter (2.90 Å) and one longer (2.96 Å) Li–Cd bond lengths. In the second Li site, Li is bonded to three equivalent Li and four Cd atoms to form distorted LiLi3Cd4 tetrahedra that share corners with four equivalent CdLi4Cd4 tetrahedra, corners with fifteen LiLiCd4 tetrahedra, edges with nine LiLiCd4 tetrahedra, faces with three equivalent CdLi4Cd4 tetrahedra, and faces with four LiLi4Zn3Cd7 tetrahedra. All Li–Li bond lengths are 2.89 Å. There are one shorter (2.79 Å) and three longer (2.83 Å) Li–Cd bond lengths. In the third Li site, Li is bonded to four Li, seven Cd, and three equivalent Zn atoms to form distorted LiLi4Zn3Cd7 tetrahedra that share corners with nine equivalent CdLi4Cd4 tetrahedra, corners with eighteen LiLiCd4 tetrahedra, a faceface with one CdLi4Cd4 tetrahedra, and faces with sixteen LiLiCd4 tetrahedra. There are a spread of Li–Cd bond distances ranging from 2.93–3.28 Å. All Li–Zn bond lengths are 2.85 Å. In the fourth Li site, Li is bonded to nine Cd and one Zn atom to form distorted LiZnCd9 tetrahedra that share corners with three equivalent CdLi4Cd4 tetrahedra, corners with eighteen LiLiCd4 tetrahedra, faces with three equivalent CdLi4Cd4 tetrahedra, and faces with sixteen LiLiCd4 tetrahedra. There are a spread of Li–Cd bond distances ranging from 2.88–3.40 Å. The Li–Zn bond length is 2.79 Å. There are four inequivalent Cd sites. In the first Cd site, Cd is bonded to four Li and four Cd atoms to form distorted CdLi4Cd4 tetrahedra that share corners with seventeen LiLiCd4 tetrahedra, edges with three equivalent LiLiCd4 tetrahedra, edges with six equivalent CdLi4Cd4 tetrahedra, and faces with seven LiLi3Cd4 tetrahedra. There are three shorter (2.91 Å) and one longer (2.93 Å) Cd–Cd bond lengths. In the second Cd site, Cd is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to ten Li, one Cd, and three equivalent Zn atoms. All Cd–Zn bond lengths are 2.83 Å. In the third Cd site, Cd is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to ten Li, three equivalent Cd, and one Zn atom. All Cd–Li bond lengths are 3.28 Å. The Cd–Zn bond length is 2.78 Å. In the fourth Cd site, Cd is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to ten Li, three equivalent Cd, and one Zn atom. There are a spread of Cd–Li bond distances ranging from 2.83–3.40 Å. All Cd–Cd bond lengths are 2.91 Å. The Cd–Zn bond length is 2.78 Å. Zn is bonded in a distorted body-centered cubic geometry to four Li and four Cd atoms.