Structure of Ca13Cd76: A Novel Approximant to the MCd5.7 Quasicrystals (M=Ca, Yb) This study was financially supported by the Swedish Natural Science Research Council.

Abstract

The closest cubic approximant to the MCd5.7 (M = Ca, Yb) quasicrystals known so far, namely Ca13Cd76, was obtained by high-temperature reaction of the elements. It exhibits a new type of structure for intermetallic compounds with an unprecedented arrangement of triacontahedral clusters (see structure), which could prove useful in modeling the structures of the MCd5.7 quasicrystals.