The crystal structure of the monoclinic phase η-Al
11Cr
2 of the space group
C2/
c,
a ≈ 1.76 nm,
b ≈ 3.05 nm,
c ≈ 1.76 nm,
β ≈ 90° [L.A. Bendersky, R.S. Roth, J.T. Ramon, D. Shechtman, Metall. Trans. A 22A (1991) 5] has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structure model, refined to a final
R value of 0.0441, has the composition of Al
83.8Cr
16.2.
a = 1.77348(10) nm,
b = 3.04555(17) nm,
c = 1.77344(10) nm, monoclinic angle
β = 91.0520(12)°. There are 80 (66Al + 14Cr) independent atomic positions in a unit cell, of which all Cr atom sites and 8 Al atom sites have icosahedral coordination. These icosahedra are interconnected forming icosahedral chains along
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, (1 0 1) icosahedral layer blocks as well as a three-dimensional icosahedral structure.