Abstract
Boron-rich compounds consisting of B12 icosahedra are of potential interest for applications to their remarkable physical and chemical properties, which in many cases are of potential interest for applications to thermoelectric and photodetectors. However, there is very little information about the physicochemical and mechanical properties of aluminum magnesium higher borides. Crystals of AlMgB22 are obtained by adding relatively little amount of Mg metal. But, owing to the high vapour pressure of Mg at high temperature, optimum conditions for growing AlMgB22 crystals are not established. In this paper, we report the optimum experimental conditions for growing relatively large crystals of AlMgB22 from Mg compounds (MgO2, MgC2O4, Mg(OH)2, Mg(CH3COO)2, MgF2, MgI2 other) and crystalline boron powders as the starting materials using and Al self-flux under an argon atmosphere. The size, morphology crystallographic data of the crystals were determined. Oxidation resistance in air up to 1473K, Vickers microhardness and magnetic susceptibility measurements at low temperatures of AlMgB22 crystals were studied.
