Crystal structure, thermal expansion and magnetic properties of Pr2Cu0.8Ge3 compound

Abstract

A new ternary compound, Pr 2Cu 0.8Ge 3, was synthesized and its physical property investigated. The Rietveld method was used to refine the powder X-ray diffraction data and the results show that Pr 2Cu 0.8Ge 3 crystallized in an a-ThSi 2-type tetragonal structure with the space group I4 1/amd (No. 141), a = 0.42001(1) nm, c = 1.44147(2) nm, Z = 2 and D calc = 7.322 g cm -3. Lattice thermal expansion study was carried out by high-temperature powder X-ray diffraction technique from room temperature (293 K) to 803 K, and the calculated lattice and volume thermal expansion coefficients obtained were 1.57 × 10 -5 K -1, 1.03 × 10 -5 K -1 and 4.18 × 10 -5 K -1 for ᾱ a, ᾱ c and ᾱ V, respectively. The magnetic susceptibility of Pr 2Cu 0.8Ge 3 was found to follow the Curie-Weiss law in the 20-300 K temperature range. The effective magnetic moment (μ eff) and paramagnetic Curie temperature (θ p) were estimated to be 3.56(3) μ B and 17.5(2) K, respectively. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.