Oshchapovskyy I. On the interaction of zinc with IV group p-elements (Sn, Pb) and rare earth metals (La, Tb)

Ternary systems {La,Tb}-Zn-{Sn,Pb} were investigated for the first time in the whole concentration range using X-ray diffraction and, partly, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and thermal analysis. Isothermal sections at the 600С were constructed for the first time. 18 new ternary and one new binary compound were found in the investigated systems for the first time. Structural models of 4 compounds were proposed. The structures of 10 ternary and 4 binary compounds determined for the first time using single crystal diffraction data. Among them 5 new structure types were found: Tb13ZnSn13, Tb0.83Zn0.14Sn2.86, LaZn4, betaTb3Sn7 and Tb10ZnPb9. In the systems with Sn significantly more ternary compounds are formed, than in the corresponding systems with Pb. Series of ternary compounds with similar structural fragments were found near lines with 22, 33.3 and 62.5 at.% of rare earths. The formation of ternary compounds in the rare earth-rich region of the systems with La is observed. In the systems with Tb ternary compounds with complicated disordered structures near compositions TbSn or TbPb are formed.