Scandium dodecaboride explained

Scandium dodecaboride is a refractory metal boride.

Synthesis

ScB₁₂ is formed by mixing a 7:1 ratio of boron powder and scandium oxide powder, heating to 2500 °C with a plasma torch or similar, quenching in cold water and washing with concentrated hydrochloric acid.^[1]

Crystallography

ScB₁₂ was originally reported as having a cubic structure,^[2] later studies showed it to have tetragonal structure (unit cell with a=522pm, c=735pm).^[1] More recently it has been shown that there is indeed a cubic form but that it requires stabilization.^[3]

Notes and References

1. Matkovich . V.I.. J Economy . R F Giese Jr . R Barrett . 1965 . The structure of metallic dodecaborides. Acta Crystallogr.. 19 . 1056–1058 . 10.1107/S0365110X65004954. 2008-08-28 . 6 . 1965AcCry..19.1056M .
2. Przybylska. Maria. Allan H. Reddoch . George J. Ritter . 1963 . The Preparation and Structure of Lutetium Diboride, Scandium Dodecaboride and Lutetium Antimonide . J. Am. Chem. Soc.. 85. 407–411 . 10.1021/ja00887a008 . 4 .
3. Paderno . Y.. N. Shitsevalova . 1995 . Stabilization of cubic scandium dodecaboride. Journal of Alloys and Compounds. 219 . 1–2. 119–123. 10.1016/0925-8388(94)05048-1 .