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Corundum (structure)

Corundum is the name for a structure prototype in inorganic solids, derived from the namesake polymorph of aluminum oxide (α-Al2O3). Other compounds, especially among the inorganic solids, exist in corundum structure, either in ambient or other conditions. Corundum structures are associated with metal-insulator transition, ferroelectricity, polar magnetism, and magnetoelectric effects.

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Corundum is the name for a structure prototype in inorganic solids, derived from the namesake polymorph of aluminum oxide (α-Al2O3).1 Other compounds, especially among the inorganic solids, exist in corundum structure, either in ambient or other conditions. Corundum structures are associated with metal-insulator transition,2 ferroelectricity,3 polar magnetism,45 and magnetoelectric effects.

Structure

The corundum structure has the space group R3c. It typically exists in binary compounds of the type A2B3, where A is metallic and B is nonmetallic, including sesquioxides (A2O3),6 sesquisulfides (A2S3),7 etc. When A is nonmetallic and B is metallic, the structure becomes the antiphase of corundum, called the anticorundum structure type,8 with examples including β-Ca3N29 and borates. Ternary and multinary compounds can also exists in the corundum structure. The corundum-like structure with the composition A2BB'O6 is called double corundum.4 A list of examples are tabulated below.

Crystal structure of corrundum. The unit cell contains 16 formulas R2W3 (R=red, W=white). Each red atom is surrounded by six white atoms, and each white by four red. source ↗
Materials that exist in the corundum structure
Chemical formula Alternative name Material type Reference
Al2O3 α-Al2O3 or corundum Oxide 1
V2O3 Oxide 210
Cr2O3 α-Cr2O3 Oxide 10
Fe2O3 α-Fe2O3 or hematite Oxide 10
Ga2O3 α-Ga2O3 Oxide 11
In2O3 rh-In2O3 Oxide 1213
Ti2O3 α-Ti2O3 Oxide 14
Mn2O3 ε-Mn2O3 Oxide 15
Rh2O3 Oxide 16
Ir2O3 α-Ir2O3 Oxide 17
Tl2O3 Oxide 18
Ca3N2 β-Ca3N2 Nitride 9
In2S3 ε-In2S3 Sulfide 19
Tm2S3 E-Tm2S3 or ε-Tm2S3 Sulfide 20
Yb2S3 E-Yb2S3 or ε-Yb2S3 Sulfide 21
Lu2S3 E-Lu2S3 or ε-Lu2S3 Sulfide 22
Cr2(CN2)3 Carbodiimide 23
Yb2(CN2)3 Carbodiimide 24
Ca3(BO3)2 Borate 25
Sr3(BO3)2 Borate 26
Eu3(BO3)2 Borate 27
ScFeO3 Ferrite 28
GaFeO3 Ferrite 29
InFeO3 Ferrite 30
CrTiO3 Titanate 31
NiCrO3 Chromite 32
InVO3 Vanadate 33
Ni3TeO6 Double oxide 34
Ni2InSbO6 Double oxide 35
Ni2ScSbO6 Double oxide 35
Mn2FeMoO6 Double oxide 36
Mn2FeWO6 Double oxide 37
Co4Ta2O9 Triple oxide 3839
See also

See also

References

References

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