Ferromagnetic behavior of the new hydride CeNiSnH1.8(2)

Abstract

The ternary stannide CeNiSn absorbs hydrogen at 250 °C under a pressure of PH2 = 5 MPa. The resulting hydride CeNiSnH1.8(2) crystallizes in the hexagonal ZrBeSi-type structure with a = 0.4392(2) nm and c = 0.8543(2) nm as unit cell parameters. Investigation by means of magnetization and electrical resistivity measurements show that (i) CeNiSnH1.8(2) exhibits a ferromagnetic order below TC = 7.0(2) K and (ii) Kondo scattering dominates the electrical properties. This study points out that hydrogenation of CeNiSn provokes a change of the ground state of cerium, from Kondo insulator to ferromagnetic behavior.