Evidences of dense Kondo behaviour in the U-Au system: electrical and magnetic investigations in U14Au51 and UAu2

Description

U14Au51 and UAu2 were recently demonstrated the two correct phases stable at room temperature in the U-Au system. Magnetic susceptibility (1.5–300 K) and electrical resistivity (10–800 K) measurements were performed in samples of both phases. Magnetic susceptibility temperature behaviour gives evidences of an antiferromagnetic transition at 23 K in U14Au51, whereas no magnetic order is detected in UAu2. In both compounds, Kondo-like logarithmic behaviour in electrical resistivity temperature trend is found. Effects already observed in U2Zn17 and UAl2 are respectively found in U14Au51 and UAu2. Possible "heavy fermion" properties of these compounds are discussed.

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