Synthesis And Magnetostriction Of Prxce1-Xfe1.9(0.5 <= X <= 1.0) Alloys

High-pressure synthesis method has been used to synthesize PrxCe1-xFe1.9(0.5 <= x <= 1.0) magnetostrictive alloys. The x-ray diffraction results show that all the alloys exhibit cubic Laves phase with MgCu2-type structure. The lattice parameter, Curie temperature, magnetization, and magnetostriction of the alloys have been investigated. The Curie temperature, the saturation magnetostriction, and the lattice parameters increase approximately linearly with the increment of Pr concentration. The magnetostriction is mainly attributed to the Pr sublattice. The magnetostriction in the magnetic field direction (lambda(parallel to)) of PrFe1.9 and Pr0.9Ce0.1Fe1.9 alloy at 5 K reaches up to 3700 and 2800 ppm at the biggest field of 50 kOe, respectively, Pr0.9Ce0.1Fe1.9 possesses lower magnetostriction than PrFe1.9 because of the quenching of the orbital 4f moment of Ce. The magnetostriction of all samples deceases as the temperature increases. The composition dependence of the ratio lambda/K-1 for PrxCe1-xFe1.9 alloys reaches a maximum value at x=0.8, indicating that Pr0.8Ce0.2Fe1.9 possesses a good magnetostrictive property at room temperature. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3373589]