Weblink 9.5 The structures of solid MgB₂ and NaIn

The structures of MgB₂ (magnesium coloured grey and boron pink) and NaIn (sodium coloured grey and indium dark blue).

MgB₂ has a structure similar to graphite with B⁻ ions forming hexagonal layers directly over one another with the Mg²⁺ ions sandwiched in between.

In NaIn, the In⁻ ions form a three-dimensional network just like in diamond, but here the Na⁺ ions are in the centre of each unit.

• Click and drag to rotate the structure; hold down shift, then click and drag to zoom.
• Use the drop-down menu to select MgB₂ or NaIn.