Investigation of the influence of intercalation on the magnetic propertiesof FexCd1-xPS3 layered compounds

The magnetic properties of a series of FexCd1-xPS3 layered compounds (x = 0 .1-0.8) and of their methyl viologen intercalates have been studied. The re sults imply that the Fe2+ ions are not randomly dispersed on the metallic s ites, as they retain strong in-plane magnetic interactions even at high dil ution. These interactions have a predominant ferromagnetic character at low iron content, but a predominant antiferromagnetic character at high iron c ontent. In all cases, intercalation by methyl viologen cations by ion excha nge renders the coupling more ferromagnetic. A Fe-57 Mossbauer study of the pure and intercalated compounds suggests that intercalation causes a disto rtion of the Fe2+ coordination sphere. The results lead to the conclusion t hat the occurrence of spontaneous magnetization of the FePS3-methyl viologe n intercalate below 78 K may be due to the fact that intercalation affects the magnetic coupling between the Fe2+ cations.