Synthesis and physical properties of the 10.6 K ferromagnet NdIr3
The magnetic, transport, and thermodynamic properties of $PuNi_3$ are reported here. Its $PuN_3$-type crystal structure (space group $R-3m$), with lattice parameters $ a = 5.3262(1) Å$ and $c = 26.2218(3) Å_1$ was confirmed by powder x-ray diffraction. Our measurements indicate that $NdIr_3$ reflects a previously unreported paramagnetic to ferromagnetic phase transition below $T_C = 10.6K$ (determined by using the Arrott plot). The magnetic susceptibility obeys the Curie-Weiss law with an effective magnetic moment of μ eff = 3.63 ( 2 ) μ B / Nd and a paramagnetic Curie temperature θ P = 5.4 ( 6 ) K . The heat-capacity anomaly at T C confirms a bulk nature of the transition, though Δ C p = 11.7 J mo l - 1 K - 1 is lower than expected for $J = 9/2$ and instead close to the $J = 1/2$ system. This indicates that Nd ions are subject to the crystalline electrical field that removes spin degeneracy and leaves the Nd ions in a doublet ground state. Resistivity and heat-capacity measurements reveal an anomaly at around 70 K. The origin of this anomaly is unknown, but the lack of thermal hysteresis suggests that it is a second-order phase transition and may be related to electronic instabilities. The calculated electronic structure is observed.