Physical properties of ternary compounds R 2Ni 2Pb (R=Y, Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er and Tm)

Abstract

We have synthesized samples of R 2Ni 2Pb (R=Y, Sm–Tm) ternary intermetallic compounds and measured the bulk magnetism and electric transport properties. These plumbides crystallize with Mn 2AlB 2 structure type (space group Cmmm, no. 65, Pearson code oC10). Y 2Ni 2Pb is a Pauli-type paramagnet, the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity, ρ( T), resembles the shape of a pure nonmagnetic metal. The remaining alloys undergo ferromagnetic transitions at temperatures below 50 K. The ρ( T) plots decrease linearly upon lowering the temperature and reveal characteristic changes of slope at the ordering temperatures.