In materials chemistry, a binary phase or binary compound is a

chemical compound A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules (or molecular entities) containing atoms from more than one chemical element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one element ...

containing two different elements. Some binary phase compounds are molecular, e.g. carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄). More typically binary phase refers to extended solids. Famous examples

zinc sulfide Zinc sulfide (or zinc sulphide) is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula of ZnS. This is the main form of zinc found in nature, where it mainly occurs as the mineral sphalerite. Although this mineral is usually black because of various ...

, which contains zinc and sulfur, and

tungsten carbide Tungsten carbide (chemical formula: WC) is a chemical compound (specifically, a carbide) containing equal parts of tungsten and carbon atoms. In its most basic form, tungsten carbide is a fine gray powder, but it can be pressed and formed into ...

, which contains tungsten and carbon. Phases with higher degrees of complexity feature more elements, e.g. three elements in

ternary phase In inorganic chemistry and materials chemistry, a ternary compound or ternary phase is a chemical compound containing three different elements. While some ternary compounds are molecular, ''e.g.'' chloroform (), more typically ternary phases ...

s, four elements in

quaternary phase In materials chemistry, a quaternary phase is a chemical compound containing four elements. Some compounds can be molecular or ionic, examples being chlorodifluoromethane () sodium bicarbonate (). More typically quaternary phase refers to exte ...

References

Chemical compounds {{chem-stub