Crystal structure, thermal expansion and electrical properties of a new compound HoAl0.34Ge2

A new ternary compound HoAl0.34Ge2 has been synthesized and studied from 298 K to 773 K by means of X-ray powder diffraction technique. The crystal structure of HoAl0.34Ge2 has been determined by using Rietveld method. The ternary compound HoAl0.34Ge2 crystallizes in the orthorhombic defect CeNiSi2 structure type (space group Cmcm, a = 0.40905(1) nm, b = 1.61575(5) nm, c = 0.39395(1) nm, Z = 4 and Dcalc = 8.145 g cm−3). The average thermal expansion coefficients α¯a, α¯b and α¯c of HoAl0.34Ge2 are 1.89 × 10−5 K−1, 0.87 × 10−5 K−1 and 1.59 × 10−5 K−1, respectively. The average coefficient of bulk thermal expansion α¯V is 4.25 × 10−5 K−1. Electrical resistivity of HoAl0.34Ge2 was measured between 5 K and 300 K. It shows metallic-like behavior of conductivity in the investigated temperature range.