Low temperature crystal structure and magnetic properties of RAl 2 (R = Pr and Nd) have been studied using temperature dependent powder x-ray diffraction;
magnetization;
and heat capacity measurements. Unlike PrAl2;
NdAl2 retains cubic MgCu2-type structure from room temperature down to 5 K;
which is also confirmed from first principles electronic structure calculations. The magnetization measurements show both PrAl2 and NdAl2 order ferromagnetically at TC = 32 K and 77 K;
respectively;
However;
the magnetization measurements show the former is a hard ferromagnet compared to the latter which is a soft ferromagnetic material. The magnetic entropy change obtained from heat capacity measurements at ΔH = 30 kOe for PrAl2 and NdAl 2 are 3.15 J mol-1 K-1 and 1.18 J mol -1 K-1;
respectively. © 2014 AIP Publishing LLC;