Indium networks in intermetallic compounds
The synthesis of indium rich transition metal compounds is carried out in indium melts or in
sealed tantalum tubes. They are characterized by single crystal and powder X-ray data.
Indium-indium interactions are the main topic of interest next to the magnetic and electrical
properties. Extended Hückel band structure calculations are used to investigate the chemical
bonding within the indium networks.
A second subject of our indium work is the reaction of these binary indium compounds with
alkaline earth metals in glassy carbon crucibles in a high frequency furnace. This leads to
the formation of two- or three-dimensional polyanions, formed by the transition metal and
indium atoms. The alkaline earth metals are situated in channels or they separate the
polyanionic layers. Of interest are the indium substructures which are derived from
diamond-like tetrahedral networks or which have distorted cubic arrangements known from
the structure of elemental indium.
