EuAl2Ge, its synthesis and property characterizations

EuAl 2Ge, orthorhombic system, space group Pnma (No. 62), unit cell parameters: a = 7.294(2) Å, b = 4.306(1) Å, c = 11.237(4) Å, V = 352.9(3) Å, Mr = 1114.04, Dx = 5.2425(1) g cm , F(000) = 484, Z = 4, μ = 1262.5 cm (Cu Kα1, 1.54056 Å), ab initio structure model with full profile refinement from a powder pattern (211 reflections and 17300 profile points) for 14 free parameters resulted in RI = 0.071, Rp = 0.152 and RDBWS = 0.116 with goodness of fit = 0.580. The structur e is related to the β-YbAgGa2, ScRhSi 2 and YZn3 types and can be considered as an intergrowth of Ba Al 4and distorted CaF2-type columns. The magnetic susceptibility is characteristic of pu re Eu with μeff = 8.07 μB and antiferromagnetic ordering at ca. 25 K.