The Metal Flux: A Preparative Tool for the Exploration of Intermetallic Compounds

Abstract

This review highlights the use and great potential of liquid metals as exotic and powerful solvents (i.e. fluxes) for the synthesis of intermetallic phases. The results presented demonstrate that considerable advances in the discovery of novel and complex phases are achievable utilizing molten metals as solvents. A wide cross-section of examples of flux-grown intermetallic phases and related solids are discussed and a brief history of the origins of flux chemistry is given. The most commonly used metal fluxes are surveyed and where possible, the underlying principal reasons that make the flux reaction work are discussed.

Solution growth of Ce–Pd–In single crystals: Characterization of the heavy-fermion superconductor Ce2PdIn8

“…Unfortunately there are many compounds existing in rather broad Ce-Pd and Pd-In solubility ranges, which complicates the sample synthesis namely when high quality of the samples is required. The solution growth technique [20,21] was used for the synthesis of single crystal samples. The high purity alumina (99.8 %) crucibles or, for the best-found growth conditions, ultrahigh purity alumina (99.99 %) crucibles by Almath crucibles ltd. have been used to reach the maximum sample purity.…”

Synthesis, Crystal and Electronic Structures of the Pnictides AE3TrPn3 (AE = Sr, Ba; Tr = Al, Ga; Pn = P, As)

“…Since other groups had also explored the same ternary systems and had used the traditional solid-state synthesis methods [6][7][8][9][10][11][12], we focused our exploratory work aimed at new compounds and structures on the metal flux method [13,14]. After OPEN ACCESS all, the triel elements Ga and In are particularly well-suited for such endeavors, and we have applied this technique to grow crystals of many new phases [1][2][3][4][5][15][16][17][18][19][20].…”

Antiferromagnetic Kondo lattice in the layered compoundCePd1−xBi2and comparison to the superconductorHan1, Wan2, Phelan3 et al. 2015Phys. Rev. BSelf Cite132140View full textAdd to dashboardCite

“…6 The starting materials Ce, Pd and Bi with the mole ratio 1:1:12 and the total mass 3 g were weighed, mixed and placed in an alumina crucible. All handling was performed in a glove box with a protective argon atmosphere (both H 2 O and O 2 are limited below 0.1 ppm).…”