Crystallographic and magnetic investigations of Gd2(Fe,Ni)17 alloys

Crystallographic and magnetic investigations of alloys with the nominal composition Gd2(Fe sub(1-x)Ni sub(x))17 are reported. Up to x=0.4 a statistical substitution of Fe by Ni atoms is possible, if at the same time an increasing excess of Gd over the stoichiometric composition is used. For 0.5<=x<=0.9, two-phase samples were obtained consisting of Gd(Fe,Ni)5 together with either α-Fe or γ-(Fe,Ni), depending upon the value of x. The magnetic measurements show ferrimagnetic coupling between the spins of the Gd and the 3d atoms. Up to x=0.4, the shape of the mean-3d-moment vs. x curve is simular to that in the binary (Fe,Ni) system and can be explained by the filling up of the 3d bands. The influence of the conduction electrons on the mean 3d moments is small in this concentration region, but strong for Gd2Ni17, where 0.34 μsub(B) was found for a Ni atom. The curie temperatures increase with increasing x values and show a maximum for x=0.3. (Auth.)