EFFECT OF CO SUBSTITUTION ON THE MAGNETIC-PROPERTIES OF SM2FE16SIC COMPOUNDS

The structural and magnetic properties of compounds in the series Sm-2 (Fe1-xCox)(16)SiC are investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and magnetization measurements. Samples with x = 0 to 0.3 are prepare d by the are-melting method. XRD patterns indicate that are-melted Sm- 2(Fe1-xCox)(16)SiC alloys crystallize in the rhombohedral Th2Zn17-type structure. The substitution of Co leads to a decrease in the lattice constants and the unit-cell volume. The Curie temperature increases mo notonically with increasing Co concentration from 576 K for x = 0 to 7 96 K for x = 0.3. The saturation magnetization is higher than 125 emu/ g for Sm-2(Fe1-xCox)(16)SiC with x > 0. Sm-2(Fe1-xCox)(16)SiC with x l ess than or equal to 0.3 compounds exhibit an easy c-axis anisotropy a t room temperature and the anisotropy field H-a is found to have a max imum value of 120 kOe for x = 0.1.