Crystal structure and thermal expansion properties of new compound La2Cu0.8Ge3

Abstract: A new ternary compound La2Cu0.8Ge3 was synthesized and studied. The crystal structure of La2Cu0.8Ge3 was refined from X-ray powder diffraction data by Rietveld method. The new compound was found to have a tetragonal α-ThSi2 structure with space group I41/amd (No. 141), and a =0.42807(2)nm, c =1.45626(6)nm, Z =2 and D calc =6.931g/cm3. The thermal expansion properties of La2Cu0.8Ge3 were investigated using high-temperature powder X-ray diffraction technique in the temperature range from 321K to 753K. Results show that its unit-cell parameters increase with increasing temperature. The coefficients of average lattice thermal expansion are , and . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]