Design and Synthesize of New Ternary Zirconium Silicide Intermetallic Compounds with the 16H Crystal Structure

Abstract

The zirconium silicide intermetallic compounds with the 16H crystal structure are good materials for high temperature structural applications, because of their high melting point and low density. Their shortcoming is low ductility. To increase ductility, the coordination numbers are increased to increase isotropy of bondings, and to have more metallic nature of bonds.Combination of elements, silicon, zirconium and other atoms for ternary silicides are selected by theoretical consideration of the coordination numbers. As the coordination numbers increase, the atomic bonds increase metallic properties, and their ductility increases. Higher coordination numbers are obtained by substituting yttrium atoms onto zirconium 6g point set sites.