Magnetic and related properties of PuPdSn

Abstract A new phase PuPdSn was prepared and studied by X-ray diffraction, magnetization and heat capacity measurements, performed in the temperature range 2–300 K and in magnetic fields up to 14 T. The crystal structure determined from single-crystal X-ray data is the hexagonal ZrNiAl-type [space group P 6 ¯ 2 m ] with lattice parameters: a = 7.5057 A and c = 4.0853 A. PuPdSn orders antiferromagnetically at TN = 21 K. Moreover, another antiferromagnetic-like transition takes place at 9.6 K. Above TN the susceptibility follows a modified Curie–Weiss law with μeff = 1.0 μB, Θp = −14 K and χ0 = 2.1 × 10−4 emu/mol. The low-temperature linear specific heat coefficient is small (γ ∼ 8 mJ/mol K2) pointing to well localized 5f electrons.