Kauzlarich Susan M
Department of Chemistry, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, California 95616, United States.
Chem Mater. 2023 Sep 4;35(18):7355-7362. doi: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.3c01874. eCollection 2023 Sep 26.
The synthesis of new compounds and crystal structures remains an important research endeavor in pursuing technologically relevant materials. The Zintl concept is a guidepost for the design of new functional solid-state compounds. Zintl phases are named in recognition of Eduard Zintl, a German chemist who first studied a subgroup of intermetallics prepared with electropositive metals combined with main-group metalloids from groups 13-15 in the 1930s. Unlike intermetallic compounds, where metallic bonding is the norm, Zintl phases exhibit a combination of ionic and covalent bonding and are typically semiconductors. Zintl phases provide a palette for iso- and aliovalent substitutions that can each contribute uniquely to the properties. Zintl electron-counting rules can be employed to interrogate a structure type and develop a foundation of structure-property relationships. Employing substitutional chemistry allows for the rational design of new Zintl compounds with technological properties, such as magnetoelectronics, thermoelectricity, and other energy storage and conversion capabilities. Discovering new structure types and compositions through this approach is also possible. The background on the strength and innovation of the Zintl concept and a few highlights of Zintl phases with promising thermoelectric properties in the context of structural and electronic design will be provided.
新化合物的合成和晶体结构仍然是探索技术相关材料的一项重要研究工作。津特耳概念是设计新型功能性固态化合物的一个指导原则。津特耳相的命名是为了纪念德国化学家爱德华·津特耳，他在20世纪30年代首次研究了一类由正电性金属与第13 - 15族主族类金属结合制备的金属间化合物的子群。与以金属键为主的金属间化合物不同，津特耳相表现出离子键和共价键的结合，通常是半导体。津特耳相为同价和异价取代提供了一个平台，每种取代都能对材料性能做出独特贡献。津特耳电子计数规则可用于研究结构类型并建立结构 - 性能关系的基础。采用取代化学方法能够合理设计具有磁电子学、热电学以及其他能量存储和转换能力等技术性能的新型津特耳化合物。通过这种方法发现新的结构类型和组成也是可能的。本文将介绍津特耳概念的优势和创新性背景，并阐述在结构和电子设计背景下具有有望实现热电性能的津特耳相的一些亮点。
