Düsseldorf, Universiẗat, Diss., 2000.

The main focus of the present work was the Ge-rich part of the binary Ba – Ge system, in which by inspecting the behavior of the clathrate-I Ba8Ge43 under pressure, several new phases were found. The new phases in this system have the following compositions: BaGe3 (with two modifications), BaGe5, BaGe5.5 and BaGe6, therefore they are quite close in composition range: 75% - ~85% at. Ge. Concerning the conditions required for the synthesis of each phase, several combinations of temperature and pressure were employed in order to find a stability range. It was possible to establish such a formation range for all phases. In some cases two phases were found for a given conditions and in many other cases three or more phases were found to coexist. Thus, the stability range of pressure and temperature for single phase formation turned out to be very narrow. By inspecting of some structural features, for instance the interatomic distances, it is found that the average of the Ge – Ge distances change in line with the composition, i.e. the shorter contacts belong to BaGe6 while the longer distances are present in BaGe3 (both modification). An opposite trend is observed for the calculated density of each phase (neglecting the tI32 form of BaGe3): the lower density is found for BaGe3 and the denser compound is found to be BaGe6. Of course this is not coincidence, since due to the Ge content, BaGe6 has the largest molar mass. Similarly, by examining the density as a function of the interatomic distance. In such case, the denser compound is characterized by shorter Ge – Ge contacts, while the less dense phase holds the longest Ge – Ge contacts. This is in agreement with the building motifs within each crystal structure: columns in BaGe3 (open framework) passing through layers in BaGe5, ending in a three-dimensional network (closed framework) in BaGe6.

In dieser Dissertation wird die Darstellung tetrelreicher Seltenerdmetall–Verbindungen in den Systemen SE:Tt (SE = La, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Ho, Lu; Tt = Si, Ge) und die Charakterisierung ihrer Eigenschaften beschrieben. Diese Verbindungen, welche mittels der Hochdruck–Hochtemperatur–Methode dargestellt wurden, zeigen neuartige Verknüpfungsmuster in der Tetrel–Partialstruktur. Neben der Charakterisierung der Verbindungen hinsichtlich der thermischen Stabilität und der physikalischen Eigenschaften bei Normaldruck wurde bei den Germanium–reichen Seltenerdmetall–Verbindungen eine Untersuchung der Veränderungen der Kristallstruktur bei Variation des Drucks oder der Temperatur vorgenommen. Die dargestellten Seltenerdmetall–Trisilicide SESi3 (SE = Gd, Ho, Lu) kristallisieren tetragonal isotyp zu YbSi3. LuSi3 zeigt Supraleitung mit Tc = 7.0 K. In den Systemen Gd–Si und SE–Ge (SE = La, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb) wurden die Verbindungen GdSi5 und SEGe5 (SE = La, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb) synthetisiert. Sie kristallisieren orthorhombisch isotyp zu LaGe5. Durch in–situ Röntgenbeugungsexperimente bei erhöhten Temperaturen kann die Existenz metastabiler Germanium–ärmerer Verbindungen SE2Ge9 (SE = Nd, Sm) nachgewiesen werden. Es handelt sich um Defektvarianten der Verbindungen SEGe5 (SE = Nd, Sm). Die strukturelle Verwandtschaft zum Aristotyp SEGe5 wird anhand einer Gruppe–Untergruppe–Beziehung aufgezeigt. Eine alternative Synthesemethode zur Darstellung tetrelreicher Verbindungen mit Gerüststrukturen bei extremen Reaktionsbedingungen stellt das Spark–Plasma–Sinterverfahren (SPS) dar. Die Darstellung der Clathratphase Ba8Ga16±xGe30∓x (x = 0, 1) erfolgte mittels SPS aus den Precursoren BaGa2±x (x = 0, 0.125) und Germanium. Die Untersuchungen der thermoelektrischen Eigenschaften zeigen, dass durch Variation der nominellen Zusammensetzung sowohl n–leitende als auch p–leitende Eigenschaften erhalten werden können. / In this thesis the synthesis of tetrel–rich rare–earth metal compounds in the systems RE:Tt (RE = La, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb, Ho, Lu; Tt = Si, Ge) and the characterization of their properties is described. These compounds, synthesized by means of high–pressure high–temperature method, show new structural motifs in the tetrel partial structure. The compounds were characterized with respect to their thermal stability and their physical properties at ambient pressure. In addition, the changes in the crystal structure of the germanium-rich rare–earth metal compounds by variation of pressure or temperature were investigated. The synthesized rare–earth trisilicides SESi3 (SE = Gd, Ho, Lu) crystallize tetragonal, isotypic to YbSi3. LuSi3 is a superconductor with Tc = 7.0 K. In the systems Gd–Si and SE–Ge (SE = La, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb) the compounds GdSi5 and SEGe5 (SE = La, Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb) were synthesized. They crystallize orthorhombic isotypic to LaGe5. Using in-situ high–temperature X-ray experiments the metastable germanium-poorer compounds SE2Ge9 (SE = Nd, Sm) could be observed. These compounds are defect variants of the pentagermanides SEGe5 (SE = Nd, Sm). The structural relationship to the aristotype SEGe5 is given via a group-subgroup relation. An alternative synthesis route for the preparation of tetrel–rich compounds with framework structures at extreme reaction conditions is the spark plasma sintering method (SPS). The clathrate phase Ba8Ga16±xGe30∓x (x = 0, 1) was synthesized from the precursors BaGa2±x (x = 0, 0.125) and germanium by means of SPS. The investigation of the thermoelectric properties shows, that through variation of the nominal composition both n-type and p-type conduction properties can be obtained.