Herein we initiate a comeback to the arc melting technique to produce MAX-phase solid solutions. Bulk samples of (Cr1−xMnx)2AlC MAX-phase with X = 0, 0.025, 0.05 and 0.1 were synthesized and studied by means of X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy in combination with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Samples were established to be homogeneous with an incorporation of Cr7C3, AlCr2 and Al2O3 secondary phases which...

Polycrystalline Pr3Ir was synthesized by arc melting. Its cementite-type crystal structure (Pnma) was confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction and estimated lattice parameters are in agreement with literature. Physical properties were measured by means of the ac and dc magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity and heat capacity. Our results indicate spin-glass behavior in Pr3Ir with a freezing temperature Tf = 6.58 K and activation...

In the present study we report a successful synthesis of the new intermetallic compound Nd2PtGe3 by an arc-melting method. The powder X-ray diffraction analysis indicates that this compound crystallizes in an disordered variant of the AlB2-type structure (space group P6/mmm, no. 191) with lattice parameters a = 4.2455 Å and c = 4. 1933 Å. The compound exhibits a cluster-glass transition below Tf = 2.9 K, characterized through ac...

We report a successful synthesis of a high-purity intermetallic germanide Y2Pd1.25Ge2.75, crystallizing in the disordered variant of the AlB2-type structure. A single-phase sample was obtained via arc-melting by deliberately tuning the composition out of the ideal 2:1:3 ratio. Specific heat, electrical resistivity and magnetization measurements show that the compound is a weakly-coupled (λ e-p = 0.58) type-II superconductor with...