UPt3

UPt₃ is an inorganic binary intermetallic crystalline compound of platinum and uranium.

Production

It can be synthesised in the following ways:

as an intermetallic compound, by direct fusion of pure components according to stoichiometric calculations:
by reduction of uranium dioxide with hydrogen in the presence of platinum:
Physical properties

UPt₃ forms crystals of Hexagonal [crystal family|hexagonal symmetry], space group P6₃/mmc, cell parameters a = 0.5766 nm and c = 0.4898 nm, with a structure similar to nisnite and MgCd₃.
The compound congruently melts at 1700 °C. The enthalpy of formation of the compound is -111 kJ/mol.
At temperatures below 1 K it becomes superconducting, thought to be due to the presence of heavy fermions.