Ternary ordered Laves phases RENi4Cd

The ordered Laves phases RENi4Cd (RE = Sc, Y, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Gd–Lu) were obtained by melting of the elements in sealed tantalum ampoules in a muffle furnace followed by slow cooling of the samples down to 773 K. The compounds were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction. The structures of YNi4Cd, GdNi4Cd, and LuNi4Cd were refined on the basis of X-ray single crystal data. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show intermediate valence for CeNi4Cd and Curie–Weiss behavior for GdNi4Cd with an experimental magnetic moment of 7.89(1) μB/Gd atom and θP = 1.6(5) K. GdNi4Cd orders antiferromagnetically at 4.5(5) K.

► Synthesis of new ordered Laves phases RENi4Cd.
► Determination of rare earth-cadmium ordering.
► Magnetic properties of CeNi4Cd and GdNi4Cd.