Structure and Bonding in Metals

Properties of Metals

high thermal conductivity high electrical conductivity malleability (metals can be pounded thin) ductility (metals can be drawn into a fine wire) durable high melting points

Properties are due to the nondirectional covalent bonding found in metallic crystals
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 Metallic Crystals

Structure and Bonding in Metals

picture as spherical atoms packed together and bonded to each other equally in all directions
Closest Packing arrangement - most efficient packing in terms of using all available space each sphere is surrounded by six other spheres hexagonal closest packed structure - aba arrangement (spheres in the third layer are directly over those in the first layer) cubic closest packed structure - abc arrangement (no spheres in the third layer can lie over one in the first layer)
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Bonding Models for Metals

Properties of metals indicate bonding in metals is both strong and nondirectional

Strong bonding - difficult to separate atoms Nondirectional bonding - easy to move atoms, as long as they stay together

Bonding Models for Metals

Electron sea model

simplest picture a regular array of metal cations in a sea of valence electrons mobile electrons can conduct heat and electricity metal ions can be easily moved around as the metal is hammered or pulled Bonding is considered to be nondirectional covalent bonds involving delocalized electrons

Bonding Models for Metals

Band Model aka Molecular Orbital (MO) model

Electrons travel around the metal crystal in molecular orbitals formed from the valence atomic orbitals (MO theorybonding and antibonding orbitals made from two atomic orbitals)

Bonding Models for Metals

MO theory for metals

when many metal atoms interact, the large number of molecular orbitals formed become very closely spaced in terms of energies. These closely spaced molecular orbitals form a continuum of energy levels or bands.

Bonding Models for Metals

Core electrons are localized, fixed in place close to the metal ions Valence electrons occupy partially filled, closely spaced molecular orbitals Empty molecular orbitals help explain thermal and electrical conductivity.

Bonding Models for Metals

Apply a current to a strip of metal

for current to flow, electrons must be able to move freely In the band model, electrons in filled MOs can be excited to fill empty MOs. The electrons that conduct electricity occupy the MOs known as the conduction band.

The same principle applies for heat conduction

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Metal Alloys

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 Diamond is a nonconductor

Semiconductors

Unlike metals, the empty MOs are much higher in energy than the filled MOs It would be difficult for an electron to be excited to the empty MOs The gap between the filled and the empty MOs is smaller. It is a little easier for e-s to jump to the empty MOsbut not as easy as for e-s in a metal.
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Silicon is a semiconductor

Semiconductors
At higher temperatures, conductivity of silicon increases. It becomes easier for e-s to make the jump to the empty MOs. Enhance conductivity of silicon by doping the crystal with other elements.

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Semiconductors
N - type semiconductor - dope Si with atoms with more valence e-s (e.g. with As)

the extra electrons from As can conduct an electric current analogy: Given a row in a movie theater filled with people. Each person has a bag of popcorn. One person has two bags of popcorn. Passing one bag of popcorn (the extra electron) down the row is like electricity being conducted in an n-type semiconductor.
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Semiconductors
p-type semiconductor - dope Si with atoms with less valence e-s (e.g. with B)

Bs three valence e- leave a hole in an MO. Another e- could move into the hole, but it would leave another hole for another electron to fill Analogy: In a movie theater, a row of seats is filled, except for one seat. One person could get up out of his seat and move into the empty seat. The next person could then move into the newly emptied seat, and so on

the p in p-type refers to the positive hole formed with a missing valence electron
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