DOE OSTI2020
Mg3Y2Zn4 crystallizes in the hexagonal P6_3/mmc space group. The structure is three-dimensional. Mg is bonded in a 12-coordinate geometry to three equivalent Mg, four Y, and five Zn atoms. There are one shorter (3.12 Å) and two longer (3.13 Å) Mg–Mg bond lengths. There are a spread of Mg–Y bond distances ranging from 3.12–3.54 Å. There are a spread of Mg–Zn bond distances ranging from 2.89–2.92 Å. There are two inequivalent Y sites. In the first Y site, Y is bonded in a 9-coordinate geometry to six equivalent Mg and three equivalent Y atoms. All Y–Y bond lengths are 3.51 Å. In the second Y site, Y is bonded in a 2-coordinate geometry to six equivalent Mg, three Y, and eight Zn atoms. Both Y–Y bond lengths are 3.46 Å. There are a spread of Y–Zn bond distances ranging from 3.08–3.41 Å. There are three inequivalent Zn sites. In the first Zn site, Zn is bonded to four equivalent Mg, two equivalent Y, and six Zn atoms to form a mixture of distorted corner and face-sharing ZnY2Mg4Zn6 cuboctahedra. There are a spread of Zn–Zn bond distances ranging from 2.60–2.90 Å. In the second Zn site, Zn is bonded in a 12-coordinate geometry to three equivalent Mg, three equivalent Y, and six Zn atoms. All Zn–Zn bond lengths are 2.75 Å. In the third Zn site, Zn is bonded to four equivalent Mg, four equivalent Y, and four Zn atoms to form a mixture of distorted corner and face-sharing ZnY4Mg4Zn4 cuboctahedra.