Crystal structure and electrical resistivity of ZrAg0.46Al2.54

The new ZrAg0.46Al2.54 ternary compound has been prepared by arc-melting and studied by means of X-ray powder diffraction technique. The structural refinement of ZrAg0.46Al2.54 was performed by using Rietveld method. The ZrAg0.46Al2.54 compound crystallizes in the cubic Cu3Au-type structure with the space group m Pm3 (No.221) and the lattice parameter of a = 4.1074 (1). The structural refinement of ZrAg0.46Al2.54 leads to the reliability R factors to be Rp = 0.05, Rwp = 0.065, Rexp =0.039 and S = 1.65, respectively. Electrical resistivity of ZrAg0.46Al2.54 was also measured between 5 and 300K. Temperature variation of the electrical resistivity of ZrAg0.46Al2.54 suggests its metallic character. The Debye temperature of ZrAg0.46Al2.54 is calculated to be D = 361K.