Applying the soft sphere model to improve the understanding of bonding in transition metals

Peter F Lang

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e03110

Applying the soft sphere model to improve the understanding of bonding in transition metals

Heliyon. 2019 Dec 30;6(1):e03110. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e03110. eCollection 2020 Jan.

Author

Peter F Lang¹

Affiliation

¹ Birkbeck College (University of London), London, WC1E 7HX, UK.

Abstract

Development in the understanding of electronic structure and chemical bonding and the importance of metals is outlined. A summary of the main features of the soft sphere model of metallic bonding and structure is provided. The soft sphere model is used to show that there are four main components involved in the bonding of transition metal solids and the enthalpy of atomisation of gaseous transition metal atoms are calculated according to the model and results when compared to literature values give good agreement.

Keywords: Enthalpy of atomisation; Inorganic chemistry; Metallic bonding; Theoretical chemistry; Transition metals.