Magnetic reversal in Fe substituted NdCrO3 perovskite nanoparticles

The polycrystalline NdCr1-xFexO3 (x = 0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1) perovskite ceramic compounds were made by sol-gel auto-combustion technique and characterized by using XRD and SEM spectroscopic techniques. X-ray studies of all samples noticed no trace of impurity and are single phase orthorhombic structure with Pbnm space group. Average crystallite size is in the order of 30–50 nm. Temperature and field dependent magnetic data were performed in the temperature range up to 300 K at 0.01T, 0.5T applied field, field range ±5T at 5 K, 300 K temperature respectively. M-T curve of x = 0, 0.3 samples at 0.01T field exhibited novel magnetic (diamagnetic like) behavior, with further increase in Fe content reversal magnetism disappeared. M-H hysteresis of all samples under ±5T (except x = 1 at 300 K) at 5 K and 300 K showed weak ferromagnetic behavior, and x = 1 sample at 300 K exhibited ferromagnetic nature. The antiferromagnetic ordering is observed at TN1 = 223 K, 190 K, 232 K, 192 K and 157 K for x = 0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7 and 1 respectively. All samples (except x = 0.5, 0.7 at 0.01T and x = 0.7 at 0.5T) have shown negative paramagnetic Curie temperature (θP) nature, due to antiferromagnetic exchange interactions.