Ferromagnetic Ordering in GdPdCd.

ChemInform Abstract

The title compound, prepared by solid state reaction of the elements (1500→900 K, 4 h), crystallizes in space group P2m with Z = 3 (ZrNiAl type structure, powder and single crystal XRD). The structure contains two types of Pd-centered tricapped trigonal prisms, PdCd₆Gd₃ and PdCd₃Gd₆. GdPdCd shows Curie—Weiss behavior with an effective magnetic moment of 8.2 μ_B/Gd. The compound orders ferromagnetically at T_C = 62.5 K and exhibits a saturation magnetization of 7.3 μ_B/Gd at 4.2 K and 5 T. The thermal variations of hyperfine parameters are measured by ¹⁵⁵Gd Moessbauer spectroscopy. Chemical bonding analysis underlines the excess magnetic moment of the Gd atoms and classifies GdPdCd as a possible magnetoresistance material.