Question

Write short note on metal excess and metal deficiency defect with an example.

Answer 1

Metal excess defect arises due to the presence of more metal ions as compared to anions. Alkali metal halides NaCl, KCl show this type of defect. The electrical neutrality of the crystal can be maintained by the presence of anionic vacancies equal to the excess metal ions (or) by the presence of extra cation and electrons present in the interstitial position.

                  Metal Excess Defect

For example, when NaCl crystals are heated in the presence of sodium vapour, Na⁺ ions are formed and are deposited on the surface of the crystal. Chloride ions (Cl^–) diffuse to the surface from the lattice point and combines with Na⁺ ions.

The electron lost by the sodium vapour diffuses into the crystal lattice and occupies the vacancy created by the Cl^– ions. Such anionic vacancies which are occupied by unpaired electrons are called F centers. Hence, the formula of NaCl which contains excess Na⁺ ions can be written as Na_1+xCl.

Metal deficiency defect: Metal deficiency defect arises due to the presence of less number of cations than the anions. This defect is observed in a crystal in which, the cations have variable oxidation states. For example, in FeO crystal, some of the Fe²⁺ ions are missing from the crystal lattice.

To maintain electrical neutrality, twice the number of other Fe²⁺ ions in the crystal is oxidized to Fe³⁺ ions. In such cases, the overall number of Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ ions is less than the O^2- ions. It was experimentally found that the general formula of ferrous oxide is Fe_xO, where x ranges from 0.93 to 0.98.

                     Metal Deficiency Defect