Chemistry and Physical Properties of the Phosphide Telluride Zr₂PTe₂

Abstract

Abstract The synthesis of the phosphide telluride Zr 2 PTe 2 by solid‐state reaction from the elements at 850 °C or by thermite‐type reaction of Zr and Te 8 O 10 (PO 4 ) 4 was accomplished. Crystals were grown by chemical vapour transport by using iodine from 800 °C in the direction of higher temperatures up to 900 °C. The chemical bonding in Zr 2 PTe 2 was investigated by the linear muffin‐tin orbital (LMTO) method. The non‐vanishing DOS of zirconium and tellurium states at the Fermi level ( E F ) complies with the metallic conductivity ( ρ ≈ 40 μΩ cm at 300 K) and temperature‐independent Pauli paramagnetism.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)