The effect of tin alloying on the structure of LaNi5

Abstract
This work investigates the effect of tin on the structure of LaNi5. LaNi5Snx(x = 0-0·6) alloy powders were prepared by ball milling LaNi5 and tin, followed by annealing. On the basis of X-ray diffraction analysis both lattice parameters a and c in the hexagonal LaNi5-ySny structure increase with increasing tin content to a maximum at y = 0·44. Tin additions in excess of this amount cause no further changes in the lattice parameters and new Bragg peaks corresponding to LaNi5Sn are present in the X-ray data. Rietveld analysis performed on four alloys LaNi5Snx (x = 0·1, 0·2, 0·3 and 0·4) indicate that tin occupies only the 3g sites in the LaNi5 structure.