Magnetic properties and EXAFS study of nanocrystalline Fe2Mn0.5Cu0.5Al synthesized using mechanical alloying technique

Nanocrystalline Fe2Mn0.5Cu0.5Al has been synthesized by the mechanical alloying technique and studied as a function of milling time. Alloy nature of Fe2Mn0.5Cu0.5Al was observed in a sample milled for 96 h. The magnetic saturation is 4.0 μB/f.u., which coincidently follows Slater–Pauling rule at 5 K. Nanocrystalline Fe2Mn0.5Cu0.5Al has enhanced saturate magnetization compared to any other fabrication of Fe2MnAl reported. Cu element plays an important role in site competes with other elements and may result in the enhancement of saturate magnetization. In accordance to the magnetic results and EXAFS pattern, it was revealed that the dynamics of magnetic properties were confirmed as structural changes of nanocrystalline Fe2Mn0.5Cu0.5Al.