Single crystal and polycrystalline near-stoichiometric RuAl alloys were grown with the magnetic field controlled RF-floating zone technique. The resistivity measured from the room temperature to 4.2 K decreases linearly up to 70K. The reciprocal residual resistance ratio is very sensitive to changes in composition and shows a maximum value of 6.7 close to the stoichiometric composition. However, the Vickers hardness decreases to a minimum where the reciprocal residual resistance ratio is maximum. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.