Nickel deficiency in RENi2-xP2 (RE=La, Ce, Pr). Combined crystallographic and physical property studies
- Los Alamos National Laboratory
- U. OF DE
Large single crystals from RENi{sub 2-x}P{sub 2} (RE = La, Ce, Pr) were synthesized from the pure elements using Sn as a metal flux, and their structures were established by X-ray crystallography. The title compounds were confirmed to crystallize in the body-centered tetragonal ThCr{sub 2}Si{sub 2} structure type (space group I4/mmm (No. 139); Pearson's symbol tI10), but with a significant stoichiometry breadth with respect to the transition metal. Systematic synthetic work, coupled with accurate structure refinements indicated strong correlation between the degree of Ni-deficiency and the reaction conditions. For four different PrNi{sub 2-x}P{sub 2} (x {le} 0.5) samples, temperature dependent dc magnetization measurements indicated typical local moment 4f-magnetism and a stable Pr{sup 3+} ground state. Field-dependent heat capacity data confirmed a ferromagnetic order at low temperature, and the variations of T{sub c} with the concentration of Ni defects are discussed. LaNi{sub 2-x}P{sub 2}, as expected was found to be Pauli-like paramagnetic in the studied temperature regime, while the Ce-analog CeNi{sub 2-x}P{sub 2} (x = 0.28(1)) showed the characteristics of a mixed valent Ce{sup 3+}/Ce{sup 4+} system with a possible Kondo temperature on the order of 230 K.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25396
- OSTI ID:
- 962290
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-08-07752; LA-UR-08-7752
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Solid State Chemistry, Journal Name: Journal of Solid State Chemistry; ISSN 0022-4596; ISSN JSSCBI
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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