Crystal structure and physical properties of the ternary antimonides R3Ni6Sb5, R = Y, Gd, Tb

• Crystal structure of the new ternary antimonide Y3Ni6Sb5 was determined.
• Isotypic compounds Gd3Ni6Sb5 and Tb3Ni6Sb5 were synthesized.
• Physical properties for Y3Ni6Sb5, Gd3Ni6Sb5 and Tb3Ni6Sb5 were studied.

Crystal structure of the new ternary antimonide Y3Ni6Sb5 was investigated using X-ray single crystal data: own type of structure, space group P21/m, a = 1.06358(6) nm, b = 0.42030(3) nm, c = 1.26520(9), β = 113.326(3)°, Z = 2, RF = 0.055, wRF = 0.063 for 1341 independent reflections and 98 variable parameters. Isotypic compounds Gd3Ni6Sb5 and Tb3Ni6Sb5 were synthesized. Magnetic and electric transport properties were studied in the temperature range above 5 K. Y3Ni6Sb5 is a temperature independent Pauli type paramagnet. The Gd3Ni6Sb5 compound orders ferromagnetically at TC = 8 K, whereas the Tb3Ni6Sb5 homologue is an antiferromagnet at TN–5 K. The onset of magnetic ordering is also proved by the electrical resistivity measurements. The analysis of the resistivity, ρ(T), measurements for Y3Ni6Sb5 resulted in a Debye temperature ΘD = 135 K.

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