Institute of Metals Division - Intermediate Phases with the Cu5Ca Structure (TN)

It is the purpose of this note to report the crystal-lographic data for nine new B5A compounds* having the Cu5Ca structure, with A a rare earth and B a transition element, Co, Ni or Cu. In previous papers, some magnetic data1 and preparation and crystallo-graphic data2 for other B5A compounds having the same structure have been reported. Crystallographic data for these compounds are shown in Tables I and 11. These results are in agreement with others of this series reported previously by Wernick and ~eller.' The abnormally large atomic volume of Yb metal3 is not manifested in Ni,Yb, when one compares it with the compounds reported here and the data of reference 2. This is not true for the compound YbAl,, having the cubic Laves structure (MgCuz), to be discussed in other papers.4'5 Thus, it appears that Yb has a valence of 3; i.e., the 2 s and Id electrons are lost to the conduction band.4'5 Lattice constants for four of these compounds prepared by levitation melting have been reported by Nassau, Cherry, and wallace.' The lattice constants