Carbon-boron clathrates as a new class of sp3-bonded framework materials
Abstract
Carbon-based frameworks composed of sp3 bonding represent a class of extremely lightweight strong materials, but only diamond and a handful of other compounds exist despite numerous predictions. Thus, there remains a large gap between the number of plausible structures predicted and those synthesized. We used a chemical design principle based on boron substitution to predict and synthesize a three-dimensional carbon-boron framework in a host/guest clathrate structure. The clathrate, with composition 2Sr@B6C6, exhibits the cubic bipartite sodalite structure (type VII clathrate) composed of sp3-bonded truncated octahedral C12B12 host cages that trap Sr2+ guest cations. The clathrate not only maintains the robust nature of diamond-like sp3 bonding but also offers potential for a broad range of compounds with tunable properties through substitution of guest atoms within the cages.
Publication Title
Science Advances
Recommended Citation
Zhu, L., Borstad, G., Liu, H., Guńka, P., Guerette, M., Dolyniuk, J., Meng, Y., & Greenberg, E. (2020). Carbon-boron clathrates as a new class of sp3-bonded framework materials. Science Advances, 6 (2) https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aay8361
