Formation and magnetostructural characterization of the novel ternary compound Ce/sub 3/Fe/sub 29-x/Mo/sub x/

Formation and magnetostructural properties of the novel ternary ferromagnetic compound Ce/sub 3/Fe/sub 29-x/Mo/sub x/ is reported. It was obtained in alloys with nominal compositions Ce/sub 3/Fe/sub 29-x/Mo/sub x/, x=1.4, 1.5, and 1.6, prepared by arc melting and annealing during three weeks at 950/spl deg/C. The crystal structure was well resolved as monoclinic with space group A2/m (No 12). Quantitative phase analysis, based on the processing of the X-ray diffraction patterns by the Rietveld method, was performed. Ce/sub 3/Fe/sub 29-x/Mo/sub x/ is the main phase (78-72 wt.%) with lattice parameters a=10.553(1) /spl Aring/, b=8.511(1) /spl Aring/, c=9.688(1) /spl Aring/, and /spl beta/=96.78(1)/spl deg/. It coexists with Ce(Fe,Mo)/sub 12/ as main spurious phase. Atomic positions and mean Fe-Fe interatomic distances are reported. Temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility shows well-defined transitions at 7 and 115/spl deg/C, which correspond to the 3:29 and 1:12 phases, respectively. Saturation magnetization at 4.2 K is 123 emu/g.