STRUCTURAL AND MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF ER2NI17-XALX INTERMETALLIC COMPOUNDS

The intermetallic compounds Er2Ni17 and Er2Al17 are isostructural and give rise to a series of isotypic solid solutions with general formula Er2Ni17-xAlx. Fifteen compositions with x varying from 0 to 17 have b een investigated. For x=0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, the compounds form solid solutions and crystallize in the hexagonal structure of the Th2Ni17 type. For x=11, 13, 15, 16, the investigated samples are no l onger solid solutions. X-ray diffraction patterns were obtained from f inely powdered samples, and also the mechanical properties as density and Vickers microhardness were studied.