The Tungsten Carbide (B_h) Structure

Last modified 5 April 2001

You can now

• see the structure from several perspectives;
• examine the structure with an external viewer; or
• download the coordinates of the atoms in these pictures in XYZ format.

This is related to the hcp lattice in the same way that the L1₁ lattice is related to the fcc lattice. Note, however, that the c/a ratio in WC is about 0.98, while in a typical hcp material it is about 1.63.

You may also want to compare this unit cell with the NiAs structure.

• Prototype: WC
• Pearson Symbol: hP2
• Strukturbericht Designation: B_h
• Space Group: P(-6)m2 (Cartesian and lattice coordinate listings available)
• Number: 187
• Other Compounds with this Structure: AlSn BIr MoC MoP NbS WN TaS TiS TeZr
• Primitive Vectors:
  • A₁ = ½ a X + ½ 3^1/2 a Y
  • A₂ = ½ a X - ½ 3^1/2 a Y
  • A₃ = c Z
• Basis Vectors:
  • B₁ = 0 (W)
  • B₂ = 1/3 A₁ + 2/3 A₂ + ½ A₃ = ½ a X - ½ 3^-1/2 a Y + ½ c Z (C)

See these vectors in a better notation.

Go back to the Hexagonal Close Packed structures page.

Go back to Crystal Lattice Structure page.

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• Strukturbericht Designation
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