Structural and magnetic properties of ErPrFe17-xMx(M=Ga, Si; x=0-3.5)

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 354; no. 1-2; pp. 29 - 34
• Main Authors: INGERSOLL, J. C, MARKANDEYULU, G, MURTY, Vs, RAMA RAO, K. V. S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier 12.05.2003
• Subjects: Alloys; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Domain effects, magnetization curves, and hysteresis; Exact sciences and technology; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetization curves, hysteresis, Barkhausen and related effects; Magnetization curves, magnetization reversal, hysteresis, barkhausen and related effects; Physics; Structure of solids and liquids; crystallography; Structure of specific crystalline solids; Quaternary alloys; Inorganic compounds; Curie point; Magnetically ordered materials; Magnetic measurements; Iron alloys; XRD; Experimental study; Gallium alloys; Rare earth compounds; Erbium alloys; Magnetization direction; Hexagonal lattices; Silicon alloys; Praseodymium alloys; Transition metal compounds; Anisotropy; Rare earth alloys; Band theory; Transition element alloys; Crystal structure
• DOI: 10.1016/S0925-8388(02)01365-8
• ISSN: 0925-8388

The alloys ErPrFe17-xGax and ErPrFe17-xSix (x = 0-3.5) have been prepared and their structure and magnetization have been investigated. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns show that these compounds crystallize in hexagonal Th2Ni17 (2:17) structure. The lattice parameters are found to increase as the Ga concentration is increased and decrease with increase of Si concentration. The saturation magnetization (Ms) measured at 20 K is found to increase initially and then decrease as the Ga and Si concentration are increased beyond 0.1. The Curie temperatures of ErPrFe15Ga3.5 and ErPrFe15Si3.5 are 528 and 537 K which are 241 and 250 K, respectively, higher than that of the parent compound ErPrFe17 and this has been explained on the basis of band model. The X-ray diffraction patterns taken for the magnetically aligned samples suggest that the easy magnetization direction (EMD) is in the basal plane in the Si substituted samples whereas in the case of the Ga substituted samples the EMD tend to be away from the basal plane. The anisotropy fields (HA) calculated from the magnetization measurements on aligned samples show that in the case of the Ga substituted compounds there is a significant increase in HA compared to the ones that are seen in the Si substituted compounds.