Novel RCo5Ga7 intermetallic compound

The novel RCo5Ga7 (R = Y, Tb, Dy, Ho and Er) intermetallic compounds have been synthesized, and their crystallographic and magnetic properties have been studied using X-ray diffraction and magnetic measurement. RCo5Ga7 crystallizes in an orthorhombic structure with ScFe6Ga6 type. The space group is Immm, and Z = 2. According to the structural refinement result, the 2a, 4e, 4f, 4g, 4h, and 8k crystal positions are occupied by 2R, 4Ga(I), 4(Ga-II, Co-I), 4Ga(III), 4(Ga-IV,Co-II), and 8(Co-III,Ga-V), respectively. The RCo5Ga7 intermetallic compound can be stabilized in the range of the radius ratio of R-RE/R-(co,R-Ga) < 1.36. The RCo5Ga7 compound exhibits a paramagnetic behavior. The magnetization at 5 K ranges from 28.93 to 40.62 emu/g. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.