Magnetic and related properties of PuPdSn

Abstract

A new phase PuPdSn was prepared and studied by X-ray diffraction, magnetization and heat capacity measurements, performed in the temperature range 2–300 K and in magnetic fields up to 14 T. The crystal structure determined from single-crystal X-ray data is the hexagonal ZrNiAl-type [space group P 6 ¯ 2 m ] with lattice parameters: a = 7.5057 Å and c = 4.0853 Å. PuPdSn orders antiferromagnetically at T N = 21 K. Moreover, another antiferromagnetic-like transition takes place at 9.6 K. Above T N the susceptibility follows a modified Curie–Weiss law with μ eff = 1.0 μ B , Θ p = −14 K and χ 0 = 2.1 × 10 −4 emu/mol. The low-temperature linear specific heat coefficient is small ( γ ∼ 8 mJ/mol K 2) pointing to well localized 5 f electrons.