ACTA

Magnetic Properties and Specific Heat of Laves Phase Tb_{1 - x}Sc_xNi₂ (x = 0.1, 0.2) Solid Solutions

J. Ćwik^a, T. Palewski^a, K. Nenkov^{a, b}, J. Lyubina^b, J. Warchulska^a, O. Gutfleisch^b and J. Klamut^{a, c}
^aInternational Laboratory of High Magnetic Fields and Low Temperatures, Gajowicka 95, 53-421 Wrocław, Poland
^bIFW Dresden, Postfach 270016, 01171 Dresden, Germany
^cInstitute of Low Temperature and Structure Research, PAS, Okólna 2, 50-422 Wrocław, Poland

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Magnetic and specific heat measurements have been performed on polycrystalline TbNi₂, ScNi₂ and their solid solutions Tb_{1 - x}Sc_xNi₂ (x = 0.1, 0.2). These compounds were synthesized using high-purity rare-earth metals. It has been found that the magnetic susceptibility of the nonmagnetic ScNi₂ compound exhibits a very weak temperature dependence characteristic of the Pauli paramagnets. TbNi₂, Tb_0.9Sc_0.1Ni₂ and Tb_0.8Sc_0.2Ni₂ are typical Curie-Weiss paramagnets and are ferromagnetically ordered below 36 K. As revealed by room-temperature X-ray powder diffraction all the Tb_{1 - x}Sc_xNi₂ solid solutions have the cubic Laves C15-type superstructure. The Debye temperature, phonon and conduction electron contributions as well as the magnetic part of heat capacity were determined. The magnetocaloric effect has been studied by means of specific heat measurements in magnetic fields of 0.42 and 1 T. The effect of rare-earth substitution in ScNi₂ on the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties will be discussed.

DOI: 10.12693/APhysPolA.118.877
PACS numbers: 75.30.-m, 75.30.Cr, 75.40.-s, 75.85.+t