We report on the crystal structure, magnetic susceptibility, specific heat, electrical and thermoelectrical properties of AmPd5Al2, the americium counterpart of the unconventional superconductor NpPd5Al2. AmPd5Al2 crystallizes in the ZrNi2Al5-type of structure with lattice parameters: a = 4.1298 A and c = 14.7925 A. Magnetic measurements of AmPd5Al2 indicate a paramagnetic behavior with no hint of magnetic ordering nor superconductivity down to 2 K. This aspect is directly related to its 5f6 electronic configuration with J = 0. The specific heat measurements confirm the non magnetic ground state of this compound. The low temperature electronic specific heat \gamma_el = 20 mJ mol-1K-2 is clearly enhanced as compared to americium metal. All transport measurements obtained point to a metallic behavior in AmPd5Al2.
@article{arxiv.1201.5664,
title = {Crystal structure and physical properties of AmPd5Al2},
author = {J. -C. Griveau and K. Gofryk and D. Bouëxière and E. Colineau and J. Rebizant},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1201.5664},
year = {2012}
}
Comments
7 pages, 6 figures; Accepted to be published in Physical Review B (January 24, 2011)