Figure 2

Room temperature powder XRD pattern of (a) Pr2NiSi3 and (b) Pr2Ni0.95Si2.95 along with full Rietveld refinement. Inset shows the presence of secondary phases of Pr and PrNiSi2 type in Pr2NiSi3 (upper), while Pr2Ni0.95Si2.95 (lower) form in single phase. SEM image in (c,d) BSE mode in two different regions and in (e) SE mode (tomography). (f–h) Elemental mapping by SEM equipped with EDX on the surface of Pr2Ni0.95Si2.95 from the region presented in (e).