Site preference and magnetism of Fe3−xCrxAl0.5Si0.5

In order to gain better insight into the origin of the observed differences between Fe_3−xCr_xAl and Fe_3−xCr_xSi, alloys of Fe_3−xCr_xAl_0.5Si_0.5 (x=0, 0.125, 0.250, 0.375 and 0.5) were prepared and studied by means of X-ray and neutron diffraction as well as by magnetization measurements. Electronic structure calculations of these alloys have been performed by means of TB-LMTO-ASA method. It was expected, and experimentally verified, that the presence of silicon and aluminum atoms in 1:1 proportion will result in the independence of the lattice parameter on the iron/chromium concentration. All samples have been proved to be a single phase of the DO₃-type of structure. Theoretical and experimental results indicate that chromium atoms locate preferentially in B sublattice. Cr magnetic moments are oriented antiparallel to Fe magnetic moments. Neutron measurements show a linear dependence of the magnetic moments of Fe(A,C), Fe(B) and Cr(B) as a function of Cr concentration. However the calculated total magnetic moment decreases faster with chromium content than indicated by the experiment.     

Magnetic phase transitions of antiperovskite Mn3−xFexSnC (0.5≤x≤1.3)

The magnetization and electrical resistivity of Mn_3−xFe_xSnC (0.5≤x≤1.3) were measured to investigate the behavior of the complicated magnetic phase transitions and electronic transport properties from 5 to 300 K. The results obtained demonstrate that Fe doping at the Mn sites of Mn₃SnC induces a more complicated magnetic phase transition than that in its parent phase Mn₃SnC from a paramagnetic (PM) state to a ferrimagnetic (FI) state consisting of antiferromagnetic (AFM) and ferromagnetic (FM) components, while, with the change of Fe-doped content and magnetic field, there is a competition between the AFM component and FM component in the FI state. Both the Curie temperature (T_C) and the saturated magnetization M_s increase with increasing x. The FM component region becomes broader with further increasing Fe-doped content x. The external magnetic field easily creates a saturated FM state (and increased T_C) when . Fe doping quenches the negative thermal expansion (NTE) behavior from 200 to 250 K reported in Mn₃SnC.     

Formation and characterization of boride coatings thermochemically grown on the Fe64Ni36 alloy

Zirconium oxide (zirconia) exists in three crystalline forms of monoclinic, tetragonal and cubic structures at atmospheric pressures. The cubic form of zirconia is well known for its mechanical, electrochemical and optical applications. Fe-doped cubic zirconia (high temperature phase) compositions are synthesized by microwave combustion method. Here, we present a Mössbauer investigation of Zr_1???x Fe _x O₂ composition within a range of Fe (0.03 < x < 0.09). ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectra were recorded at room temperature and at low temperature (77 K) for all samples. 3% Fe-doped ZrO₂ shows doublet and the corresponding 6% and 9% Fe-doped ZrO₂ samples show superimposed sextet and doublets. The isomer shift and quadrupole moment indicate, Iron to be in III oxidation state and to occupy different octahedral sites, associated with some amount of disorder. X-ray powder diffraction pattern of Fe-doped ZrO₂ samples appear as very well crystalline. The Miller indices refer to the cubic fluorite-type ZrO₂ structure. The magnetic behavior shows increase in moment and decrease in coercivity, with increase in Fe concentration. The M vs. H plots of the as-prepared Zr_1-x Fe _x O₂ essentially show typical hysteresis loops, indicating room temperature ferromagnetism. Thus, the introduced microwave combustion route is an effective process to achieve multifunctional Fe-doped Zirconia with coexistent magnetic properties.     

Effect of Fe substitution on multiferroic hexagonal YMnO3

Polycrystalline YMn_1−xFe_xO₃ (x=0.02-0.20) powders were synthesized by means of modified citrate method. Powder X-ray diffraction gives evidence that all the samples are single phase and exhibit hexagonal structure with P6₃cm space group as observed for YMnO₃. The solubility limit of Fe was determined as about 6 wt.%. Cell parameter values were found to increase with Fe content, since Fe³⁺ and Mn³⁺ have the same ionic radii. This can be attributed to the increase of the tilting of MnO₅ bipyramid and the buckling of Y atoms. In addition, ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectrometry provides evidence of two Fe³⁺ sites attributed to two different nearest atomic neighbours. Magnetic properties reveal a paramagnetic-to-antiferromagnetic transition, a possible increase of the magnetic anisotropy, and a competition between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions.     

Magnetic phase transition of the bond random mixed compound Fe(Br x I1 − x )2

The single crystal samples of Fe(Br _x I_1???x )₂ were investigated by the magnetization measurement. Among them, the x?=?0.6, 0.8 and 0.9 samples were microscopically studied by the Mössbauer technique. As comparing the results of a magnetic behavior obtained for the x?=?0.6, 0.8 and 0.9 samples, we discuss a spin glass-like behavior appeared in the bond random mixture. We propose an x–T magnetic phase diagram of Fe(Br _x I_1???x )₂.     

Studies of oxidation of iron nanowires encased in porous aluminium oxide template

The transformations of phase composition of iron nanowires deposited into porous alumina template when annealing in the air were studied. The samples of iron nanowires of different diameter (8, 13, 15, 30 nm) were annealed for 1.5 h at temperature up to 600°C. In addition, for nanowires of 15 nm diameter the dependence of phase composition on annealing time was investigated. The phases were determined by applying Mössbauer spectroscopy. New Fe(II) and Fe(III) contributions to Mössbauer spectra were found and those were indentified as caused by the formation of hercynite FeAl₂O₄ and (Fe _x Al_1???x )₂O₃ with small x values (x?≤?0.15). It has been found that though initially the Fe(II) compound forms rapidly, afterwards its formation rate becomes lower than that of Fe(III) and after longer annealing time the Fe(III) content exceeds Fe(II) one.     

Ferromagnetic-to-antiferromagnetic transition in (Hf1−xTix)Fe2 intermetallic compounds induced by geometrical frustration of the Fe(2a) sites

The ferromagnetic-to-antiferromagnetic transition in the hexagonal (Hf_1−xTi_x)Fe₂ (0?x?1) intermetallic compounds has been investigated by ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. At 10 K, the transition occurs within rather narrow concentration limits, around x=0.55–0.65. We found that the key factor governing the unexpected quick change of the magnetic structure is the magnetic frustration of the Fe(2a) sites. The magnetic frustration is caused by the noncollinearity of the Fe(6h) magnetic sublattice. The noncollinearity arises from the rotation of the magnetic moments due to the competition between the ferromagnetic exchange interactions and the antiferromagnetic Fe(6h)–Ti–Fe(6h) interaction. In the compounds with x=0.4–0.6, the temperature transitions to the antiferromagnetic state are observed. As an example, the Hf_0.4Ti_0.6Fe₂ compound is completely antiferromagnetic above 200 K.     

Magnetic structure and phase diagram of the frustrated spinel Cd1−xZnxCr2Se4

In attempt to characterise the magnetic ordering in the whole composition range of the Cd_1−xZn_xCr₂Se₄ system, various magnetic measurements were performed on both crystalline and polycrystalline samples with 0?x?1. The magnetic properties of the system are typical of a ferromagnet below x=0.4 and of a complex antiferromagnet one above x=0.6. In this work the intermediate region was carefully studied. The variations of both M(T) and χ_ac at low fields suggest that transitions from ferromagnetic to Gabay–Toulouse ferromagnetic-spin-glass mixed phase at low temperature occur in the range 0.41?x?0.58. The high-temperature susceptibility measurements show that for the whole concentration range the system obeys Curie–Weiss laws. The results can be explained by the coexistence of competing interactions (ferromagnetic between nearest neighbours and antiferromagnetic between higher order neighbours) and disorder due to the random substitution between zinc and cadmium ions in the tetrahedral sites of the spinel lattice. An experimental magnetic phase diagram of the system is established.     

Characterization of magnetic phases in the FexMn0.65−xAl0.35 disordered alloys

Melted alloys of the Fe_xMn_0.65−xAl_0.35 disordered system, 0.25?x?0.65, were experimentally studied by Mössbauer spectrometry, vibrating sample magnetometry and AC magnetic susceptibility. All the alloys exhibit the BCC structure with a nearly constant lattice parameter (2.92 Å). Mössbauer studies at room temperature (RT) show that in the 0.25 ?x?0.45 range the alloys are paramagnetic (P) while in the 0.50?x?0.65 range, they are ferromagnetic. At 77 K, Mössbauer studies show that the alloy with x=0.25$x=0.25$ presents weak magnetic character that is consistent with an antiferromagnetic (AF) behavior due to the high Mn content, while those with 0.30?x?0.40 are paramagnetic, and those in the 0.45?x  ?0.65 range are ferromagnetic (F) with a mean field increasing with the Fe content. Hysteresis cycles at RT prove the paramagnetic character of the alloys between x=0.25$x=0.25$ and 0.40 and the ferromagnetic character for x?0.45$x?0.45$. Complementary measurements using AC magnetic susceptibility permit a magnetic phase diagram to be proposed, with the P phase for high temperature and all the compositions, the AF phase for low Fe content and at low temperature, the F phase for high Fe content above RT and the spin glass phase for all the compositions and at temperatures lower than 46 K. In addition, the mean field renormalization group (MFRG) method, applied to a random competitive and site dilute Ising model with nearest-neighbor, gives rise to magnetic phase diagram, which fairly agrees with previous experimental one.     

Systematic study of mechanical deformation on Fe3Al x Si1−x powders by Mössbauer spectroscopy

The Mössbauer technique has been used to measure hyperfine magnetic fields, isomer shifts and relative areas of ⁵⁷Fe atoms located at various sites in Fe₃Al _x Si_1?x series with x?=?0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7. Four samples were crushed; then they were annealed for 10 h at 1,023 K and cooled down at 3°/min in order to recover the DO₃ stable phase. Mössbauer studies revealed that annealed samples have a DO₃ structure, whereas deformed samples are partially disordered, with both ordered DO₃ and disordered A2 structures, even though X-rays measurements do not show superstructure peaks. The amount of disordered structure decreases with Si content.     

Pressure effect on magnetic properties of NdMn2−xFexGe2 (0.1⩽x⩽1.0) series of solid solutions

Temperature and pressure dependence of magnetic properties in the NdMn_2−xFe_xGe₂ series of solid solutions (0.1⩽x⩽1.0) are reported. The (P, T) magnetic phase diagrams are determined on the basis of the AC magnetic susceptibility measured in a weak magnetic field. The measurements were carried out under hydrostatic pressure up to 1.5 GPa in the temperature range 80−430 K. The reported data show that in the studied series of solid solutions, a drastic change in magnetic properties takes place in a narrow dilution parameter range (0.4⩽x⩽0.5). While taking into account the magnetic properties, the studied range of Fe content could be divided into four regions. Only in the case of x=0.3 and 0.4, the external pressure significantly influences the magnetic properties of the samples.     

Magnetism of surface alloys of the type MxN1−x/Rh(1 1 1)

We present a density functional theory study on the magnetic properties of two-dimensional surface alloys of the type M_xN_1−x (M=Fe, Co and Ni; N=Pt, Au, Ag, Cd and Pb) on Rh(1 1 1) for x=0.0, 0.25, 0.33, 0.5, 0.67, 0.75 and 1.0, in two types of geometric arrangements—striped phases or linear-chain type, and non-striped phases or mixed checkerboard type. Many pairs among these are bulk-immiscible but show mixing on the surface. We find that the trend in the magnetic moment of surface alloys of N with a given M follows the number of valence electrons in N: the higher the number of valence electrons, the lower the magnetic moment. Overlayer atoms when put on hcp sites show higher moment compared to fcc sites. In general, for a given composition x, linear-chain type structures show a reduced magnetic moment compared to checkerboard type structures. We find that Pb, when alloyed with magnetic elements (Fe, Co and Ni), has a lowering effect on their magnetic moments.     

Mössbauer spectroscopy of 57Fe in high Tc superconductors YBa2Fe3xCu3(1−x)O7−δ

Mossbauer spectroscopy of ⁵⁷Fe in both tetragonal and othorhombic phases of YBa₂(Fe_xCu_1−x)₃O_7−δ, with x = 0.01, 0.02 and 0.10, at temperatures 4.2 K, 75 K, 90 K, and 300 K have been performed. In all samples three major subspectra corresponding to iron in different local environments are observed. It is concluded that Fe substitutes mainly Cul. At 4.2 K, samples with x=0.01 in the “quenched” tetragonal phase exhibit magnetic hyperfine structure, due to slow spin relaxation rates, whereas in the orthorhombic superconducting phase, only samples with x=0.1 exhibit magnetic hyperfine structure, in this case probably due to spin glass magnetic order.     

Mössbauer study of incompletely alloyed nanocrystalline Fe100 − x Al x prepared by high energy ball milling

Mechanically alloyed Fe_100???x Al _x powders, with 20≤?x?≤90, have been studied by X-ray diffraction and room temperature ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. The milling time was chosen such that complete alloying does not take place. For a fixed milling time of 10 h, the rate of alloying was seen to increase exponentially with increase in Fe content. Mössbauer spectra of all the samples consist of a broad magnetic sextet and a quadrupole doublet. The isomer shifts and quadrupole splitting of the doublets are typical of Al-rich, Fe–Al alloys. The area under the quadrupole doublet is a maximum for x?=?66. Analysis of the Mössbauer spectra indicates the formation off- stoichiometric Fe₃Al phase for x?<?66, while the formation of Fe clusters is largely responsible for the magnetic hyperfine component in x?≥?66 compositions.     

Structural and magnetic phase formation in nanophase brass—iron electron compounds

Starting with Cu0.65Zn0.35 with an e/a ratio of 1.35 we studied the phase formation in nanophase (Cu_0.65Zn_0.35)_1?x Fe _x alloys in the concentration range 0.1 ≤x ≤0.7 to see the effect of altering the electron concentration. The evolution of bcc phase from the fcc phase as a function of Fe concentration was investigated by Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The grain size, lattice parameters, and average hyperfine magnetic field distributions were estimated for the nanophase alloys. The fcc phase was observed to persist up to 40 atomic per cent Fe substitutions, a mixed (fcc + bcc) phase region up to 70 atomic per cent Fe and bcc phase beyond 70 atomic per cent Fe. The magnetic state of the alloys changed from nonmagnetic forx ≤0.3 to magnetically ordered state at room temperature forx ≤0.33, which lies in the fcc phase region. The fcc phase alloys of Fe with non-magnetic metals have very low magnetic transition temperatures. However, in this system the room temperature state is unusually magnetic     

A Comparative Study on the Magnetic Properties of Arc-Melted and Ball-Milled Fe0.9−x Mn0.1Al x Alloys

Samples of nominal composition Fe_0.9?x Mn_0.1Al _x (0.1 ≤x≤0.5) were prepared both by mechanical alloying and arc-melting. In order to elucidate the effect of the synthesis method upon the magnetic properties of this system, we have carried out a comparative study involving the use of different experimental techniques (Mössbauer, X-ray diffraction, vibrating sample magnetometry and magnetic susceptibility). Results revealed that independently of the employed method and milling time, the samples exhibit ferromagnetism below ～34 at.% Al. Above this concentration, the preparation method became a determinant factor upon the magnetic properties of the system. The differences are attributed, in the case of the mechanically alloyed samples, to Fe contamination arising from jars material. The results of our study are summarized in a magnetic phase diagram including ferromagnetic, paramagnetic, pure spin glass and reentrant spin glass regions.     

Magnetic and electrical transport properties of amorphous Zr-Fe alloys

Amorphous Zr_1?xFe_x samples were prepared in the composition range 0.2 ? x ? 0.9 either by means of vapour deposition or melt spinning. The electrical resistivity was determined in the range 4.2–300 K. Negative temperature coefficients were observed in the whole concentration range. The extended Ziman theory (diffraction model) was found to be able to explain these results only if the effective valence of the Fe atoms involves not only s electrons but also d electrons. The magnetic properties and the ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer effect of the Zr_1?xFe_x alloys were studied in the range 4.2–300 K. The Fe-rich alloys are ferromagnetic. The Fe moment vanishes in alloys of an Fe concentration lower than about 50 at%. In most alloys (x ? 0.8) the Curie temperature is below room temperature and continuously decreases with Zr concentration. By means of Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic measurements it is shown that compositional short-range order (CSRO) is present to a higher degree in melt-spun alloys than in vapour-deposited alloys. The effect of sign and magnitude of the heat of solution on CSRO and the magnetic properties is discussed.     

Magnetic and transport properties in Sr1−xLaxFe1−xMnxO3

The magnetic and transport properties in the perovskite Sr_1−xLa_xFe_1−xMn_xO₃ have been explored. As x rises, the systemic ferromagnetism increases gradually and cluster-spin-glass state occurs in the low-temperature region. For 0.3?x?0.7, the ferromagnetic phase separation from the paramagnetic phase was observed from the results of electron-spin-resonance measurement. Although all samples show a semiconducting behavior, their transport properties are dominated by two different mechanisms, namely, the electronic transport of x?0.5 samples is realized by thermal activation but the variable-range hopping is applied in x?0.7 ones. The different transport mechanism can be understood from the Mn/Fe ions interaction.     

Study of the effect of Mn and Cu in Fe–Mn–Al–C–Cu alloys by ICEMS and XRD

Experimental analysis of magnetic and structural properties of Fe–Mn–Al–C–Cu alloys with compositions Fe _x Mn_0.915???x Al_0.075C_0.01 (series A) and Fe _x Mn_0.912???x Al_0.075C_0.01Cu_0.003 (series B), 0.500?≤?x?≤?0.800, in steps of 0.050 is presented and discussed. The analysis was performed by integral conversion electrons Mössbauer spectrometry and X-ray diffraction at room temperature. The results suggest, for both series of alloys, that for the highest Mn content, samples exhibit an antiferromagnetic behavior, typical of the FCC or austenite FeMn phase rich in Mn; for those of low Mn content, the coexistence of paramagnetic austenite, typical of the FeMn alloy poor in Mn, a ferromagnetic BCC or ferrite phases can be observed, while for the lowest Mn content, only ferromagnetic (FM) phase tends to prevail. The FM phase is associated to the BCC FeMnAl as was corroborated by X-ray diffraction. The samples with the highest Mn content, the influence of Cu addition is to reduce the mean hyperfine field and to stabilize the antiferromagnetic behavior.