Molybdenum silicide properties

Klemm H, Tangermann K, Reich T, Herrmann M, Schubert C, Hermel W (1995) High-Temperature Properties of Silicon Nitride Molybdenum Silicide Composites. In Bellosi A (ed) Fourth Europ Ceramics, Vol 4, Grupp Editoriale faenca Editrice, Faenza, p 233... 

It should be noted that the mentioned molybdenum disilicide is a borderline case of the intermetallics since silicon is not a metal, but a semiconductor. It is known that the combination of silicon with metals gives rise to compounds with metallic properties, e.g. MoSij, as well as compounds with semiconductor properties (Nowotny, 1963), i.e., silicides mark the transition from intermetallics to compounds of metals and nonmetals. Nevertheless, silicides are traditionally included in the field of intermetallics because of their many similarities with metals (Wehrmann, 1967). 

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