Article of manufacture fabricated by plastic deformation of an intermetallic compound comprising R and M, such as an RM intermetallic compound and a higher order compound thereof, having a CsCl-type ordered crystal structure wherein R is one or more rare earth elements and M is one or more non-rare earth metals. The article of manufacture has a tensile elongation of at least about 5% prior to fracture when tensile tested at room temperature in ambient air. The article of manufacture also can be fabricated by plastic deformation of an intermetallic compound comprising a M′M compound and a higher order compound thereof having a CsCl-type ordered crystal structure wherein M′ and M are one or more different non-rare earth metals.