Electrostatic Coordination in Brucite

A picture of the electrostatic coordination along the (110)-plane in brucite is shown below.

electrostatic coordination

The electrostatic coordination in Brucite, showing the diagonal mirror plane through the unit cell.

Each hydrogen atom forms electrostatic field lines to the oxygen of the hydroxy-group and the oxygen of the hydroxy-group in the next layer. In addition field lines to an oxygen atom in the next unit cell are found.

This gives a total electrostatic coordination number of 5 which is identical with the geometrical model for brucite under pressure or with Ca(OH)2. The electrostatic coordination for Ca(OH)2 is also 5.

A different view and a better partitioning of the space is given if only the field lines are shown which mark the area between two different bonds.

electrostatic coordination

The electrostatic coordination in Brucite, showing the diagonal mirror plane through the unit cell.

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Last Updated: 26 October 1996