Synthesis of new rare earth containing MAX phases Sc 2 AC (A = Ga, In) by spark plasma sintering

In this paper, two new ternary layered MAX phase ceramics, Sc 2 GaC and Sc 2 InC, were successfully synthesized by spark plasma sintering. The crystal structures of two new compounds were determined by X‐ray diffraction. The lattice parameters were a = 3.3609(0) Å and c = 14.5849(9) Å for Sc 2 GaC, and a = 3.3453(6) Å and c = 15.2236(3) Å for Sc 2 InC, wherein the Sc atoms were located at (1/3, 2/3, 0.07330[Ga]/0.08268[In]), the A atoms were located at (1/3, 2/3, 3/4), and the C atoms were located at (0, 0, 0). Scanning electron microscopy images of two new MAX phase ceramics were also given in this paper, showing obvious layered characteristics.