HYBRIDIZATION EFFECTS WITH NEAREST AND NEXT NEAREST NEIGHBORS IN U(IN, SN)(AU, PT)2 COMPOUNDS

The magnetic and electrical properties of the UInAu2, USnAu2, UInPt2 and USnPt2 compounds indicate that the f-p(s) hybridization effects between uranium and its next nearest neighbors (Sn, In) are not negligible in comparisons to the f-d interaction with the nearest (Au, Pt) atoms. All the compounds were prepared in an induction furnace by slowly cooling the melted mixtures of uranium with the respective metals in desired proportions. The X-ray diffraction patterns of all the compounds showed them to be single phases except for the UInPt2 sample which exhibited some unidentified impurities.