Crystal structure solution of hydrides containing Eu-nat from neutron powder diffraction data

Neutron scattering experiments have been carried out on several Eu-nat cont aining hydrides. Neutron absorption has been lowered by taking advantage of its wavelength dependence and the use of annular samples. From neutron pow der diffraction data of deuterided samples taken on D20 and D4B (ILL) the c rystal structures could be solved ab initio, thus providing the first compl ete structural data of europium hydrides and the first reliable Eu-D distan ces. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.