title: Structural chemistry and number theory amalgamized: crystal structure of Na11Hg52.
abstract: The recently elucidated crystal structure of the technologically important amalgam Na11Hg52 is described by means of a method employing some fundamental concept of number theory, namely modular arithmetical (congruence) relations observed between a slightly idealized set of atomic coordinates. In combination with well known ideas from group theory, regarding lattice-sublattice transformations, these allow for a deeper mutual understanding of both and provide the structural chemist with a slightly different kind of spectacles, thus enabling a distinct viw on complex crystal structures in general.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Materialphysik im Weltraum, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), 51170 Köln, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hornfeck
authors.affiliation: Department Chemie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Butenandtstraße 5-13, 81377 München, Germany.
authors.forename: Constantin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hoch
keywords: amalgam; group theory; intermetallic phase; number theory; structural chemistry