DOE OSTI2020
K(Zr3Te4)4 crystallizes in the triclinic P-1 space group. The structure is three-dimensional. K1+ is bonded in a distorted hexagonal planar geometry to six Te2- atoms. There are two shorter (3.73 Å) and four longer (3.74 Å) K–Te bond lengths. There are six inequivalent Zr+2.58+ sites. In the first Zr+2.58+ site, Zr+2.58+ is bonded to six Te2- atoms to form a mixture of face, edge, and corner-sharing ZrTe6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 43–52°. There are a spread of Zr–Te bond distances ranging from 2.91–3.01 Å. In the second Zr+2.58+ site, Zr+2.58+ is bonded to six Te2- atoms to form a mixture of face, edge, and corner-sharing ZrTe6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 43–52°. There are a spread of Zr–Te bond distances ranging from 2.91–3.02 Å. In the third Zr+2.58+ site, Zr+2.58+ is bonded to six Te2- atoms to form a mixture of face, edge, and corner-sharing ZrTe6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 43–52°. There are a spread of Zr–Te bond distances ranging from 2.91–3.03 Å. In the fourth Zr+2.58+ site, Zr+2.58+ is bonded to six Te2- atoms to form a mixture of face, edge, and corner-sharing ZrTe6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 43–52°. There are a spread of Zr–Te bond distances ranging from 2.92–3.02 Å. In the fifth Zr+2.58+ site, Zr+2.58+ is bonded to six Te2- atoms to form a mixture of face, edge, and corner-sharing ZrTe6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 43–52°. There are a spread of Zr–Te bond distances ranging from 2.92–3.02 Å. In the sixth Zr+2.58+ site, Zr+2.58+ is bonded to six Te2- atoms to form a mixture of face, edge, and corner-sharing ZrTe6 octahedra. The corner-sharing octahedra tilt angles range from 43–52°. There are a spread of Zr–Te bond distances ranging from 2.91–3.01 Å. There are eight inequivalent Te2- sites. In the first Te2- site, Te2- is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to four Zr+2.58+ atoms. In the second Te2- site, Te2- is bonded in a 5-coordinate geometry to one K1+ and four Zr+2.58+ atoms. In the third Te2- site, Te2- is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to four Zr+2.58+ atoms. In the fourth Te2- site, Te2- is bonded in a 5-coordinate geometry to one K1+ and four Zr+2.58+ atoms. In the fifth Te2- site, Te2- is bonded in a 5-coordinate geometry to one K1+ and four Zr+2.58+ atoms. In the sixth Te2- site, Te2- is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to four Zr+2.58+ atoms. In the seventh Te2- site, Te2- is bonded to six Zr+2.58+ atoms to form distorted face-sharing TeZr6 pentagonal pyramids. In the eighth Te2- site, Te2- is bonded to six Zr+2.58+ atoms to form distorted face-sharing TeZr6 pentagonal pyramids.