RE₆Pd₁₃Zn₄ (RE = La-Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb) - new palladium-rich phases with Pd rate at RE₆ octahedra in bcc packing

The intermetallic zinc compounds RE₆Pd₁₃Zn₄ (RE = La - Nd, Sm, Gd, Tb) were synthesized from the elements in sealed niobium ampoules. They crystallize with the cubic Na₁₆Ba₆N (Dy₆Fe₁₆O) type structure, space group Im anti 3m. The samples were investigated by powder X-ray diffraction and four structures were refined on the basis of single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The striking structural motifs are palladium centered RE₆ octahedra in a bcc arrangement. These octahedra are surrounded by a [Pd₁₂Zn₄] network. Magnetic susceptibility studies of Gd₆Pd₁₃Zn₄ show Curie-Weiss behavior and an experimental magnetic moment of 7.75(2) μ_B per Gd atom. Gd₆Pd₁₃Zn₄ orders antiferromagnetically at T_N = 10.5(1) K. (Copyright copyright 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)