“…Indeed, key concepts in chemical bonding were first formulated in attempts to understand the factors, such as atomic size, coordination preference, and electron count, that affect their formation. − These compounds also have many applications arising from their varied optical, thermal, and mechanical properties. Examples include CdSe and FeO pigments, , ZnTe infrared optical semiconductors, CdTe and CuS photovoltaic materials, , BeO having high thermal conductivity, TiC having low thermal conductivity, and TaC, SiC, and c -BN high-hardness materials. − Given the long and exhaustive history of these AB compounds, it is natural to ask if there is anything else left to discover.…”