Ternary orthorhombic Laves phases Sr2Pd3Sn, Eu2Pd3Sn and Eu2Pd3In

Abstract The ternary Laves phases Sr2Pd3Sn, Eu2Pd3Sn and Eu2Pd3In were synthesized by induction melting of the elements in sealed tantalum ampoules. The polycrystalline products were characterized through their powder X-ray diffraction patterns. The structure of Eu2Pd3Sn was refined from single crystal X-ray diffractometer data: Mg2MnGa3 type, Cmcm, a = 583.36(5), b = 908.31(7), c = 958.06(8) pm, wR2 = 0.0366, 557 F2 values, 23 variables. The palladium and tin atoms show the inverse coloring on the network of condensed tetrahedra of Mg2MnGa3, i.e., MnGa3 versus Pd3Sn. Refinement of the occupancy parameters revealed small defects for the europium site, leading to composition Eu1.962(6)Pd3Sn for the studied crystal. Sr2Pd3Sn is a Pauli paramagnet and Eu2Pd3Sn shows Curie-Weiss paramagnetism (7.86(1) µB Eu atom−1 and ΘP = 48.1(1) K). Ferromagnetic ordering is observed below TC = 46.1(1) K. The 119Sn and 151Eu Mössbauer spectra of Sr2Pd3Sn and Eu2Pd3Sn are discussed with respect to electron density changes as a function of the tin content and the ionicity in the sequence of the stannides Sr2Pd3Sn/Eu2Pd3Sn → Sr2Pd2Sn/Eu2Pd2Sn → EuPdSn → EuPdSn2.