Magnetic properties and phase diagram of NdPd5Al2

• A single crystal of the tetragonal compound NdPd5Al2 was prepared.
• Magnetic phase diagram based on heat capacity and magnetization measurements was constructed.
• Phase diagram is characterized by two low-temperature magnetic phases.
• The transition in zero field is the first-order phase transition.

We have investigated a single crystal of the tetragonal intermetallic compound NdPd5Al2 by means of magnetization, specific heat and magnetoresistivity measurements. NdPd5Al2 orders antiferromagnetically below 1.3 K and exhibits a distinct magnetocrystalline anisotropy with the c-axis as the easy axis of magnetization. Magnetic phase diagram constructed on the basis of heat capacity and magnetization measurements is characterized by two different low-temperature phases and first-order phase transition in the zero field.