COMPOUND FORMATION IN THE MERCURY-CADMIUM-TELLURIUM-OXYGEN SYSTEM.

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0025-5408(85)90026-1

Samples of this system were prepared by solid-state reaction of mixtures of the binary oxide components. Specific phases were identified and characterized by x-ray and microprobe techniques. For some of these compounds small single crystals could be prepared for which structural data are reported. Three groups of phases could be distinguished, most of them being of low symmetry, with Te in plus 4, plus 6, and in mixed oxidation states. The monotellurites HgTeO//3 and CdTeO//3 are structurally different and exhibit a large miscibility gap, whereas for the ditellurites complete solid solution between CdTe//2O//5 and HgTe//2O//5 was found. As to the tellurates, phases with the compositions MTeO//4 and M//3Te//2O//9 (M equals Hg, Cd) has been prepared. The Cd//3Te//2O//9-structure is stabilized by 30 mole% Hg. Another tellurate, monoclinic Hg//2TeO//4, was found to be isomorphous to the respective selenate and sulfate and is identical with the mineral magnolite.