Structure, magnetic properties and 119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy of PrRhSn

PrRhSn was synthesized in polycrystalline form by a reaction of praseodymium, rhodium, and tin in an arc-melting furnace. The sample was investigated by powder and single crystal X-ray diffraction: ZrNiAl type, space group image image, image pm, wR2=0.0737, 353F2 values and 14 variables. The PrRhSn structure has two crystallographically independent rhodium sites with a tricapped trigonal prismatic coordination, i.e. [Rh1Sn3Pr6] and [Rh2Sn6Pr3]. The rhodium and tin atoms build up a three-dimensional [RhSn] network with short Rh–Sn contacts (278 and 285 pm), in which the praseodymium atoms fill distorted hexagonal channels. The magnetic and electronic properties of PrRhSn have been studied by means of AC and DC magnetic susceptibility measurements as well as 119Sn Mössbauer spectroscopy. A transition from a paramagnetic to a ferromagnetic state was found at image.