Estimation of the lattice heat capacity of rare-earth compounds

On the basis of the experimental data reported in literature, the contributions of cation mass (m) and molar volume (V) to lattice heat capacity (C) were analyzed. The volumetric-mass formula, C_x=(l —f)·C₁+f·C₂+C_m·(m_x — m_x′), was presented for estimating the heat capacities of rare-earth compounds. In the formula C₁ and C₂ represent the lattice heat capacities of two reference substances respectively, f = V_x—V₁/V₂—V₁ and C_m represents the lattice heat capacity variation with the variation 1 g of cation mass. The equation relating the C_m with temperatures was derived as follows: C_m = 0.084 e −0.0074T −0.27 e −0.045T, and m_x and m_x′ (= (1 - f) m₁₊f m₂) represent the practical and “assumed” cation masses of the substance in question respectively.