Low temperature heat capacity of lutetium and lutetium hydrogen alloys

The heat capacity of high purity electrotransport refined lutetium was measured between 1 and 20°K. Results for thetaD were in excellent agreement with theta values determined from elastic constant measurements. The heat capacity of a series of lutetium-hydrogen solid solution alloys was determined and results showed an increase in γ to about 11.3 mJ/g-atom-K2 for hydrogen content increasing from zero to about one atomic percent. Above one percent hydrogen γ decreased with increasing hydrogen contents. The C/T data showed an increase with temperature decreasing below about 2.5°K for samples with 0.1 to 1.5 atomic percent hydrogen. This accounts for a large amount of scatter in thetaD versus hydrogen content in this range. The heat capacity of a bulk sample of lutetium dihydride was measured between 1 and 20°K and showed a large increase in thetaD and a large decrease in ..gamma.. compared to pure lutetium.