Magnetic and electrical transport properties of novel RE4Ni3Pb4 (REÂ =Â La, Ce, Pr) compounds

Magnetization and electrical resistivity measurements were performed in the temperature range 1.7-400 K and in magnetic fields up to 8 T on polycrystalline samples of newly discovered La4Ni3Pb4, Ce4Ni3Pb4 and Pr4Ni3Pb4 plumbides. The La- and Pr-based compounds were found to be enhanced Pauli and Curie-Weiss paramagnets, respectively, with distinct spin fluctuations governing their metallic-like electrical conductivity. The cerium compound is an antiferromagnetic (TN = 3 K) Kondo lattice with the characteristic temperature scale of about 20 K.