New Materials, Compounds and Applications

Zinc arsenides are promising semiconductors due to their natural abundance, unique electronic properties such as high carrier mobility and structural anisotropy and significant potential for advancing sustainable technologies. In light of discrepancies in existing literature and the growing relevance of these compounds, this study presents a thermodynamic investigation of ZnAs₂ and Zn₃As₂ within the temperature range of 300-440 K using the low-temperature electromotive force (EMF) method. Equilibrium samples from the ZnAs₂ + As and Zn₃As₂ + ZnAs₂ two-phase regions of the Zn-As system were utilized, with phase compositions confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction analysis. The experimental data enabled the calculation of partial molar functions of zinc in the alloys, as well as the standard thermodynamic functions of formation and standard entropies for ZnAs₂ and Zn₃As₂ compounds. A comparative analysis with previously reported data was conducted, providing insights into the thermodynamic behavior of zinc arsenides and improving the accuracy of existing knowledge.