Local Atomic Order in Intermetallics and Alloys

Abstract

Phases formed by different types of metal atoms as well as those formed by metal and metalloid atoms are considered as intermetallic compounds. In contrast to this, alloys can be single‐ or multiphase materials. This chapter focuses on single‐phase materials and gives a short overview about their crystal structures focusing on local ordering of the atoms. It discusses a strategy to investigate local ordering of the atoms in intermetallic phases (IPs) by a combined application of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, quantum mechanical (QM) calculations, and diffraction methods. The chapter also discusses some investigations of local ordering in IPs following this strategy. It further describes thermoelectric materials and phase‐change materials (PCMs). Different types of IPs can be considered as potential thermoelectric materials such as several chalcogenide compounds, FeSb2, half‐Heusler phases, Skutterudites, Clathrates, and the Zintl phase Yb14MnSb11.