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Ionic Crystal Structures

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Ionic crystals consist of two or more different kinds of ions that usually have different sizes. The packing of these ions into a crystal structure is more complex than the packing of metal atoms that are the same size.
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Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Synthesis of Nine-atom Deltahedral Zintl Ions of Germanium and their Functionalization with Organic Groups

Synthesis of Nine-atom Deltahedral Zintl Ions of Germanium and their Functionalization with Organic Groups

Published on: February 11, 2012

Two-, one-, and zero-dimensional elemental nanostructures based on Ge(9)-clusters.

Antti J Karttunen¹, Thomas F Fässler, Mikko Linnolahti

¹Department of Chemistry, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland. antti.j.karttunen@iki.fi

Chemphyschem : a European Journal of Chemical Physics and Physical Chemistry

|May 7, 2010

Summary

Novel germanium nanostructures, including sheets, nanotubes, and cages, were computationally investigated. These new germanium materials exhibit semiconducting properties and could lead to advanced optoelectronic applications.

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Synthesis of Nine-atom Deltahedral Zintl Ions of Germanium and their Functionalization with Organic Groups

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The Synthesis of [Sn10(Si(SiMe3)3)4]2- Using a Metastable Sn(I) Halide Solution Synthesized via a Co-condensation Technique

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Gyroid Nickel Nanostructures from Diblock Copolymer Supramolecules

Gyroid Nickel Nanostructures from Diblock Copolymer Supramolecules

Published on: April 28, 2014

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Solid State Chemistry
Computational Chemistry

Background:

Zintl-type clusters offer unique building blocks for novel materials.
Germanium-based materials are of interest for their optoelectronic properties.
Understanding structure-property relationships is crucial for materials design.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore novel germanium modifications derived from Zintl-type clusters.
To investigate the structural, stability, and electronic properties of predicted nanostructures.
To assess the potential for new mesoporous germanium materials.

Main Methods:

Quantum chemical methods were employed for theoretical investigations.
Structures, stabilities, and electronic properties of various germanium nanostructures were studied.
Simulated spectroscopic data (Raman, IR, X-ray diffraction) were generated.

Main Results:

Energetically stable fullerene-like germanium cages were predicted.
Three-dimensional networks related to LTA zeolite frameworks were identified.
The novel germanium modifications are semiconducting, with some showing larger band gaps than bulk germanium.

Conclusions:

The study reveals promising structural principles for novel germanium nanostructures.
These findings could guide the development of new mesoporous germanium materials.
The predicted materials hold potential for advanced optoelectronic applications.