Crystal structure and magnetic properties of ternary Al3CoNd2 compound

A ternary compound Al 3 CoNd 2 was synthesized and its crystal structure parameters were determined by the Rietveld refinement method based on powder X-ray diffraction data. Results show that the compound crystallizes in the MgCu 2 -type structure (cubic Laves C15 phase, space group $Fd\bar{3}m$ ), with the lattice parameter of a = 7.8424(2) Ǻ, unit-cell volume of V = 482.33 Å 3 , and calculated density of D calc = 5.90 g.cm − 3 . The residual factors converge to R p = 0.1024 and R wp = 0.1287. The reference intensity ratio value obtained experimentally is 3.03. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate an agreement with the Curie–Weiss law in the temperature range of 385–450 K, and paramagnetic Curie temperature of θ p = 379.9 K. Both rare-earth elements and cobalt ions contribute to the paramagnetic moment. The saturation magnetic moment and magnetic hysteresis loop were measured for the Al 3 CoNd 2 compound at various temperatures. Results show that the saturation magnetic moment value decreases with an increase in temperature and the compound becomes a ferromagnet below the Curie temperature T c .