A New Quaternary Borocarbide, GdRh₂B₂C

A new quaternary borocarbide, gadolinium dirhodium diboron carbide, has been synthesized by the flux method and the structure has been analyzed using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The compound crystallizes as a derivative of the ThCr₂Si₂ structure type, as do many newly discovered superconducting compounds in the RT₂B₂C system (R = rare-earth, T = transition metal). The structure consists of thick, tetrahedrally coordinated Rh₂B₂ layers. These two atomic layers stack alternately along [001] via the strong B-C bonds to form a three-dimensional network.

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