Structure and magnetic properties of SM2Fe17-xMnx compounds

The effect of Mn substitution for Fe in Sm2Fe17-xMnx compounds on the structure and magnetocrystalline anisotropy was studied by x-ray diffraction and magnetization measurements. The compounds prepared have a rhombohedral Th2Zn17-type structure single phase except for a small amount of alpha-Fe for x = 1-4, while x = 5 has Nd-3(Fe,Ti)(29)-type monoclinic structure. The Curie temperature T-C is found to increase to 430 K for x = 1, then decrease to 255 K for x = 5. The saturation magnetization at 5 K decreases with increasing Mn concentration. Room temperature anisotropy changes from easy planar type to cone type and to easy c-axis type with increasing Mn concentration for x = 1, 2 and 3 respectively. The anisotropy field for x = 3 is about 1 T at 100 K and decreases to 0.4 T at room temperature.