Praseodymium disilicide is a binary inorganic compound of praseodymium and silicon with the chemical formula PrSi2.
Synthesis Fusion of stoichiometric amounts of pure substances:
Pr + 2Si → PrSi2
Physical properties Praseodymium disilicide forms crystals of orthorhombic system, spatial group I ma, cell parameters a = 0.417 nm, b = 0.411 nm, c = 1.385 nm, Z = 4, the structure type of gadolinium disilicide. At a temperature of 123-147 °C, a phase transition occurs into tetragonal system, spatial group I 41/amd, cell parameters a = 0.4140 nm, c = 1.364 nm, Z = 4, the structure type of thorium disilicide. The compound melts congruently at a temperature of 1712 °C and has a wide homogeneity range of 64-66.7 atm.% silicon (sometimes the compound formula is written as PrSi1.8). At a temperature of 11.5 K, the compound demonstrates a transition to the ferromagnetic state.
Uses Praseodymium disilicide is a dense material known for its exceptional hardness, high melting temperature, and reliable mechanical and thermal stability. The compound also exhibits distinctive electrical and magnetic properties, making it well-suited for applications such as protective coatings in reactors, electronic devices, and magnetic material components.
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