Thermal and transport properties of U3Si2

TL;DR

This study comprehensively investigates the thermal and electrical transport properties of U3Si2, revealing delocalized 5f-electrons, spin fluctuations, and dominant electronic heat conduction in a metallic system.

Contribution

It provides detailed experimental data on U3Si2's thermal and transport properties, highlighting the delocalized nature of 5f-electrons and the role of electronic heat conduction.

Findings

Delocalized 5f-electrons in U3Si2

Enhanced low-temperature heat capacity with spin fluctuations

Electronic heat conduction dominates above 300 K

Abstract

We have studied U_3Si_2 by means of the heat capacity, electrical resistivity, Seebeck and Hall effects, and thermal conductivity in the temperature range 2-300 K and in magnetic fields up to 9 T. All the results obtained point to delocalized nature of 5f-electrons in this material. The low temperature heat capacity is enhanced (gamma_el ~ 150 mJ/mol-K2) and shows an upturn in Cp/T (T), characteristic of spin fluctuations. The thermal conductivity of U3Si2 is ~8.5 W/m-K at room temperature and we show that the electronic part dominates heat transport above 300 K as expected for a metallic system, although the lattice contribution cannot be completely neglected.