Reactions of lanthanide metals with iron and silicon in a 1:1 Mg/Al flux have yielded single crystals of a series of new complex intermetallic phases.  Products were characterized by single crystal XRD and SQUID measurements.  Reactions with early rare earths (R=La-Nd, Sm) produce RFe2MgAl7 products which are substituted variants of the LaFe2Al8 type. Reactions with europium yield a ternary Zintl phase Eu6.5Mg16.5Si13, crystallizing in the hexagonal Ba5Mg18Si13 structure type.  Reactions with heavier rare earth elements (Gd, Dy) produce R5Mg5Fe4Al12Si6 which forms in a new P4/mmm symmetry structure (a=11.655(2)�, c=4.0668(8)� for Dy analog). Er2Fe3Al6Si3 crystallizes as a substituted variant of the orthorhombic Nd2Co3Al9 type. Reactions with ytterbium produce Yb6Fe2AlSi11 which has a new structure type in the P4/mbm space group (a=13.3479�, c=4.0996�); Magnetic properties and the varying incorporation of flux elements will be discussed.

Synthesis and magnetic properties of rare earth silicides and aluminides grown in Mg/Al flux

245th National Meeting (2013)

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