Characterization of magnetic and electronic properties of trimetallic nitride endohedral fullerenes by SQUID magnetometry and electron paramagnetic resonance

Magnetic and electronic properties of high-purity trimetallic nitride endohedral fullerenes Er3N@C80, Lu3N@C80, Sc3N@C80 diluted in a diamagnetic host were characterized by SQUID DC magnetometry and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) at multiple frequencies. The Er3N@C80 sample followed the Curie–Weiss law with negligible Weiss temperature of 0.16 K. Based on temperature dependence and isothermal saturation magnetization the effective magnetic moment of Er3N@C80 was estimated as 10.2 μB. The magnetic behavior of these fullerenes is ascribed to quenching of the orbital moment of the metal ions due to interactions between the metal centers with the nitrogen and the fullerene cage.