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Related Concept Videos

Network Covalent Solids02:18

Network Covalent Solids

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Network covalent solids contain a three-dimensional network of covalently bonded atoms as found in the crystal structures of nonmetals like diamond, graphite, silicon, and some covalent compounds, such as silicon dioxide (sand) and silicon carbide (carborundum, the abrasive on sandpaper). Many minerals have networks of covalent bonds.
To break or to melt a covalent network solid, covalent bonds must be broken. Because covalent bonds are relatively strong, covalent network solids are typically...
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Metallic Solids02:37

Metallic Solids

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Metallic solids such as crystals of copper, aluminum, and iron are formed by metal atoms. The structure of metallic crystals is often described as a uniform distribution of atomic nuclei within a “sea” of delocalized electrons. The atoms within such a metallic solid are held together by a unique force known as metallic bonding that gives rise to many useful and varied bulk properties.
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and...
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Structures of Solids02:22

Structures of Solids

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Solids in which the atoms, ions, or molecules are arranged in a definite repeating pattern are known as crystalline solids. Metals and ionic compounds typically form ordered, crystalline solids. A crystalline solid has a precise melting temperature because each atom or molecule of the same type is held in place with the same forces or energy. Amorphous solids or non-crystalline solids (or, sometimes, glasses) which lack an ordered internal structure and are randomly arranged. Substances that...
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Lattice Centering and Coordination Number02:33

Lattice Centering and Coordination Number

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The structure of a crystalline solid, whether a metal or not, is best described by considering its simplest repeating unit, which is referred to as its unit cell. The unit cell consists of lattice points that represent the locations of atoms or ions. The entire structure then consists of this unit cell repeating in three dimensions. The three different types of unit cells present in the cubic lattice are illustrated in Figure 1.
Types of Unit Cells
Imagine taking a large number of identical...
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Ionic Crystal Structures02:42

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.
Most monatomic ions behave as charged spheres, and their attraction for ions of opposite charge is the same in every direction. Consequently, stable structures for ionic compounds result (1) when ions of one charge are surrounded by as many ions as possible of the opposite...
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Carbon Skeletons01:12

Carbon Skeletons

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Life on Earth is carbon-based, as all macromolecules that make up living organisms contain carbon atoms. All organic compounds have a carbon backbone. Each carbon atom is tetravalent and can bond with four other atoms, making it an extraordinarily flexible component of biological molecules. Because carbon’s valence electrons are stable, it rarely becomes an ion. As the carbon chain increases in length, structural modifications such as ring structures, double bonds, and branching side...
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Characterization of Ultra-fine Grained and Nanocrystalline Materials Using Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction
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Characterization of Ultra-fine Grained and Nanocrystalline Materials Using Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction

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Superhard BC(3) in cubic diamond structure.

Miao Zhang1, Hanyu Liu2, Quan Li3

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China and College of Physics, Beihua University, Jilin 132013, China.

Physical Review Letters
|January 24, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers discovered a new superhard material, cubic boron carbide (d-BC3), with a unique diamond structure. This material exhibits exceptional ductility and elasticity due to its novel B-B bonding network.

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Solid-State Chemistry
  • Crystallography

Background:

  • Boron carbides are known for their hardness but often exhibit brittleness.
  • Exploring novel crystal structures is key to discovering materials with enhanced properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the crystal structure of a recently synthesized cubic BC(3) phase.
  • To investigate the mechanical properties and bonding characteristics of this new material.

Main Methods:

  • Employed an unbiased swarm structure search to identify the most stable crystal structure.
  • Utilized density functional theory for calculating structural, vibrational, and mechanical properties.
  • Simulated X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy to validate the structure against experimental data.

Main Results:

  • Identified a highly symmetric cubic diamond structure phase of BC(3) (d-BC(3)) with a unique B-B bonding network.
  • Simulated diffraction and Raman peaks closely matched experimental observations.
  • Calculated mechanical properties revealed superhardness, superior ductility, and extended elasticity, attributed to sequential bond-breaking mechanisms.

Conclusions:

  • Established the first boron carbide in a cubic diamond structure with remarkable and unique properties.
  • The findings provide a new superhard material with potential applications requiring high strength and toughness.
  • Offers insights for designing other covalent solids with complex and advantageous bonding configurations.