interstitial compound


interstitial compound

[¦in·tər¦stish·əl ′käm‚pau̇nd] (chemistry) A compound of a transition metal and hydrogen, boron, carbon, or nitrogen whose crystals have a close-packed structure of the metal ions, with the nonmetal atoms being located in the interstices. (solid-state physics) A binary compound in which atoms of one element (usually a light, nonmetallic element) occupy spaces between atoms of the crystal lattice formed by the other element (usually a heavy, metallic element).