title: RE16AuxAl13-x with RE = La-Nd, Sm (x≤ 3.37): synthesis, crystal structure and physical properties of an intermetallic solid solution with barrelane analogue units.
abstract: During phase analytical investigations in the rare-earth element rich side of the ternary system cerium-gold-aluminum, the new ternary rare-earth (RE) gold aluminides with a composition of RE16AuxAl13-x (RE = La-Nd, Sm, x≤ 3.37) have been synthesized first by reactive eutectics of RE/Au with Al. Single crystals of high quality can be obtained by this method. The title compounds can be selectively prepared by annealing arc-melted beads of appropriate composition below the peritectic point of the respective system. Like prototypic La16Al13, the representatives of the solid solution RE16AuxAl13-x (RE = La-Nd, Sm; x≤ 3.37) crystallize in the hexagonal crystal system (space group P6[combining macron]2m, a = 916.6-890.4 pm, c = 1122.4-1090.1 pm) with one formula unit per unit cell. Single crystal investigations revealed Au/Al mixing on three of the four crystallographic aluminum sites. These sites form an empty (Au/Al)11 barrelane analogous unit, coordinated solely by the respective rare-earth atoms. In addition one independent Al site with a fivefold capped trigonal prismatic arrangement, a so called Edshammar polyhedron, exists. Magnetic measurements of Ce16Au3Al10 revealed two antiferromagnetic transitions with Neél-temperatures of 7.7(1) and 2.7(1) K and a magnetic moment of μeff = 2.48(1) μB, Pr16Au3Al10 shows ferromagentic ordering with a Curie-temperature of 19.8(1) K and a magnetic moment of μeff = 3.58(1) μB.
authors: Institut für Anorganische und Analytische Chemie, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Corrensstrasse 30, 48149 Münster, Germany. ocjanka@uni-muenster.de.
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Stegemann
authors: Oliver
authors: O
authors: Janka