Homogeneity Range of the Zirconium Phosphide Telluride Zr2+xPTe2 and the High Temperature Phase Transformation to Zr2PTe
- The synthesis of the phosphide telluride Zr2+xPTe2 was accomplished by a solid-state reaction from the elements. Le Bail refinements of the as synthesized crystalline powders as well as the thermal decomposition of Zr2PTe2 along the homogeneity range Zr2+xPTe2 under the release of P4(g) and Te2(g) evidences a maximum zirconium content according to the composition Zr2.5PTe2. The thermal decomposition product of Zr2.5PTe2 undergoes a phase
transformation to “Zr2PTe” adopting the structure motive of the binary phases ZrTe and ZrTe2. The new phase “Zr2PTe” has a wide homogeneity range Zr2–xP1–yTe1+y tolerating a deficit in the cation position and a mixed occupation of the anions. The composition of the crystalline decomposition product was determined to Zr1.95P0.84Te1.16 by Rietveld refinement and by analysing the elemental composition with ICP-OES. Zr1.95P0.84Te1.16 crystallizes in hexagonal space group P63/mmc (no. 194) with lattice constants: a = 3.8726(1) Å and c = 13.008(1) Å.