Magnetic and transport properties of Pr2Ni3Ge5

Polycrystalline sample of ternary intermetallic compound Pr2Ni3Ge5 prepared by standard arc melting and subsequent annealing was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray analysis. It crystallizes in the U2Co3Si5-type orthorhombic structure (space group Ibam). In an applied field of 0.01 T, the magnetic susceptibility exhibits a pronounced anomaly at 8.5 K. With increasing field, the anomaly shifts to lower temperature, indicating antiferromagnetic order. Isothermal magnetization data reveal double metamagnetic transitions in this compound. Heat capacity data yield a relatively high value of the linear coefficient of heat capacity (∼150 mJ/mol Pr K2), which may be due to magnetic fluctuations and crystal field effect. A large magnetoresistance is observed in this compound.