Investigation of the crystal structure and magnetic properties of Nd3-xGdxCo11B4 borides

Polycrystalline samples of pseudo-ternary intermetallic Nd3-xGdxCo11B4 (x=0, 1, 2, 3) borides prepared by standard arc-melting were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), magnetization and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements. The X-ray diffraction patterns indicated the hexagonal Ce3Co11B4-type structure with P6/mmm space group for each composition. The substitution of Gd for Nd led to a decrease of the unit-cell parameters a and the unit-cell volume V, while the unit-cell parameter c increased linearly. Magnetic measurements indicated that all samples were ordered magnetically below the Curie temperature. The Curie temperatures increased as Nd was substituted by Gd. The saturation magnetization at 4 K decreased upon the Gd substitution up to x=1, and then increased.