Atomic site preference, electronic structures, and magnetic properties of γ-brass type pseudo-binary Mn2Zn11-Ni2Zn11 at high Mn-contents

Samples loaded as MnxNi2Zn11-x (x = 0.1-5) were synthesized using conventional high-temperature solid-state techniques and characterized using X-ray diffraction, neutron powder diffraction, and energy dis-persive X-ray spectroscopy. A Hume-Rothery-type mechanism was applied, following the rigid band model, to rationalize the electronic stability of these phases. This shows that at low Mn substitution for Zn, there is a structural preference for Mn atoms to be farthest apart within the same cluster, but that with increasing Mn concentration, there is a favorability in maximizing shortest Mn-Mn contacts between adjacent clusters of the gamma-brass-type structure. The properties involving temperature-dependent zero-field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) magnetization, susceptibility, M(H) hysteresis curves, thermoremanent magnetization, and memory effect were studied for Mn1.5Ni2Zn9.5. A spin glass state has been observed below the transition temperature of similar to 58.5 K, which originates predominately from the disordered substitution of Mn for Zn atoms in the inner tetrahedral and octahedral shells of the structure.(c) 2022 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Automated summary

This study investigates the electronic stability and magnetic properties of MnxNi2Zn11-x (x = 0.1-5) alloys through synthesis and characterization. The alloy structure undergoes changes with increasing Mn concentration, resulting in the emergence of a spin glass state.