Phase stability, EXAFS investigation and correlation between nanostructure and extrinsic magnetic properties of nanocrystalline Pr2(Co,Fe)7

• The Pr2 (Co,Fe)7 compounds have been synthesized by high energy ball milling.
• Rietveld analysis shows that the Pr2 Co7–xFex compounds are single phase for x ≤ 1.
• The refinement of EXFAS spectra for x ≤ 1 shows that Fe atoms preferably occupy the 12 k site.
• We have showed a decrease in anisotropy and coercivity for x > 1.

Nanocrystalline Pr2 Co7−x Fex (x⩽3.5x⩽3.5) powder was synthesized by high energy milling and was subsequently annealed at 973 K for 30 min. Their crystalline structures were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Magnetic properties were also studied at room temperature and 10 K as a function of the iron composition.This compounds structure depends on the iron content; for x⩽x⩽ 1 they crystallize in the Ce2 Ni7-type hexagonal structure (space group: P63/mmcP63/mmc). For 1  1, the magnetocrystalline anisotropy field of the 2:17 phase is lower than that of the 2:7 phase, which causes a further reduction in anisotropy and coercivity.