Synthesis and Exploration of Heusler Intermetallics as Potential Catalysts*

The ternary intermetallic Heusler alloys, comprising the formula X₂YZ (X and Y are transition metals, while Z is a p-block element), can be found in a wide range of elemental combinations. They make excellent candidates for the quest for efficient catalysts due to their electrical tunability, which may be achieved by altering the composition or substituting components. Heusler alloy samples have been synthesized using mechanical alloying. This traditional method for making coarse-grain Heusler compounds involves mechanical grinding and post-annealing. X-ray diffraction was used to confirm the structures and to determine the grain size of the ball-milled compounds. Raman spectroscopy was used to investigate the catalytic activity of the alloys for the hydrogenation of unsaturated hydrocarbons, and its dependency on time and temperature.