New intermetallic compounds found in Hf-Ni-Ge and Hf-Pt-Ge systems

New intermetallic compounds, Hf3Ni4Ge4 and HfPtGe, were found and their cry stallographic, electric and magnetic properties were characterized. Hf,Ni,G e, has an orthorhombic structure (space group Immm) with lattice constants of a=1.2873 nm, b=0.6484 nm, and c=0.3892 nm and shows typical Curie-parama gnetic behavior between 2 K and 300 K and a metallic temperature dependence of the resistivity at temperatures between 10 and 250 K. HfPtGe has an ort horhombic structure (space group Pnma) with lattice constants of a=0.6603 n m, b=0.3950 nm, and c=0.7617 nm and shows diamagnetism and a metallic tempe rature dependence of the resistivity. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All ri ghts reserved.