Crystal structure and physical properties of CePt2.4Al0.6

The new compound CePt2.4Al0.6 crystallizes in the hexagonal CeNi3-type (hP24, space group P6(3)/mmc, N. 194), with lattice parameters a = 5.5203(3)angstrom and c = 16.886(1)angstrom; its crystal structure represents a nearly ordered ternary derivative of this prototype. The cerium ions in CePt2.4Al0.6 are in the normal trivalent state and order magnetically near 1.6 K as inferred from the low temperature heat capacity. The magnetic ordering is presumably ferromagnetic as suggested by the behavior of heat capacity in applied magnetic fields. The magnetoresistivity below similar to 15 K is negative and is tentatively attributed to the presence of ferromagnetic short range order in the paramagnetic state. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.