Hydride phases of the intermetallic compound GdZn

The intermetallic compound GdZn possesses a B2 (CsCl-type) structure and is ferromagnetic with a Curie temperature of 268 K. By hydriding, a drastic c hange in the magnetic as well as the structural properties occurs. The samp les were charged up to a maximum concentration of 2 H atoms per formula uni t. The hydride GdZnH2 was found to be paramagnetic at temperatures above 5 K and showed X-ray diffraction patterns of a CaF2-like structure similar to the pattern of GdH2. A reduction in the H concentration yielded the coexis tence of two CaF2-like phases, one of them with a Curie temperature of 50 K . For concentrations of less than one H atom per formula unit, the coexiste nce of a CaF2-like and a CsCl-type phase was found, the sample showing two Curie temperatures at about 50 and 266 K. These results indicate the existe nce of three different phases in the system GdZn-H. These phases could be i dentified by their characteristic magnetic and structural properties.