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We have used neutron scattering to study the structure and magnetic ordering of a series of hydrides and deuterides of the rare earth-iron compounds RFe2. The parent RFe2’s have the cubic close packed Laves phase (C15) structure for R Heavier than Nd and order ferrimagnetically at ∿600 K with the full free ion moment on each R and ∿1.6μB/Fe at saturation. The stable hydride phases with ∿2 and ∿3.5 H(D) per formula unit are known from x-ray and neutron diffraction to retain the C15 cubic structure, with lattice parameters increased by ∿5% and ∿7%. The RFe2H4 phase is rhombohedrally distorted and is not ordered at 4.2 K (1).

The formation of ternary hydrides is often accompanied by significant changes in the structural, electronic and magnetic properties of the binary host intermetallic. Since Mossbauer spectroscopy is in essence a technique which probes the local structural, electronic and magnetic properties of the employed isotope, we used this technique to study the changes which occur in the ternary hydrides. Data from 57Fe, 161Dy, 166Er will be discussed and compared with results from other techniques.