Heat capacity studies of ThP and UP0.5As0.5 solid solution. Reanalyzing UP data

The specific heats of ThP and the solid solution UP_0.5As_0.5 have been measured in the temperature range 5–300 K. While ThP has a regularC _p (T) behavior, the mixed compound exhibits several low-temperature anomalies. An analysis of the experimental data for UP_0.5As_0.5 and reanalysis of previously published heat capacity results for UP have been performed. The temperature dependence of the magnetic entropy, which at 300 K reaches a value close toR ln 4 for both species, confirms the U³⁺ state for uranium atoms in these compounds. The value of the electronic heat capacity coefficient _p in the paramagnetic state has also been extracted from the experimental data. It is far smaller than the respective low-temperature value (0).