Crystal Structure
Mg2Si crystallizes in a face-centered cubic lattice. It possesses the antifluorite structure with Si4- ions occupying the corners and face-centered positions of the unit cell and Mg2+ ions occupying eight tetrahedral sites in the interior of the unit cell. There are also four equivalent interstitial sites. Hence, the structure contains isolated Si4- ions. This feature makes the Si4 - ion of Mg2Si a good Brønsted–Lowry base (proton acceptor).
Read more about this topic: Magnesium Silicide
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