Self-molybdenum intercalation: Stabilization of metastable pseudo-binary Chevrel phases in Mo6Se8-Mo6S8 system

Three different types of pseudo-binary Mo6Se8-xSx Chevrel phases series hav e been reported in the literature, Confusion among them has existed, althou gh two of them are metastable series. We present a new study of these serie s, based on their structural differences found mainly through single crysta l investigations, and compare one of their more interesting physical proper ties, the superconductiug critical temperature. This allows us to provide f or the first time a complete understanding of the metastability and stabili zation mechanisms through self-molybdenum intercalation into pseudo-binary Chevrel phases and to access new metastable Chevrel phases by soft chemistr y. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.