Magnetic properties of R6Fe13Sn(R=Nd,Pr) compounds

High-field free-powder (HFFP) magnetization measurements were performed at 4.2 K on R6Fe13Sn (R=Nd, Pr). A metamagnetic first-order transition at 8-10 T accompanied by a large hysteresis is found in the HFFP magnetization curve of Nd6Fe13Sn. By means of X-ray diffraction on magnetically aligned samples, the easy magnetization directions at room temperature were found parallel to the c-axis for Pr6Fe13Sn, and perpendicular to the c-axis for Nd6Fe13Sn. A peaked section in the low-temperature range, corresponding to a canted configuration of the moments of the magnetic sublattices, was traced in the thermomagnetic curve of a free-powder sample of Pr6Fe13Sn. The magnetic-ordering temperatures of Pr6Fe13Sn and Nd6Fe13Sn are 396 and 374 K, respectively. (orig.)