Physical properties of Gd7NiPd2 single crystal

Investigations of X-ray diffraction, electronic structure, dc-magnetization M(T), ac-magnetic susceptibility chi(ac)(T) and magnetocaloric properties for the Gd7NiPd2 single crystal were performed. A single crystal of Gd7NiPd2 was grown by the Czochralski method from a levitating melt. Anomalies in chi(ac)(T) and M(T)-curves establish that Gd7NiPd2 undergoes a long-range ferromagnetic-type ordering at T-C = 298 K, followed by a spin-reorientation below 135 K. The magnetization data indicate that there is an excess magnetic moment calculated per Gd3+ ions. The measured XPS valence band indicates the hybridization effect between Gd 5d, Ni 3d and Pd 4d states. The calculated values of entropy change Delta Sm for the examined compound amount to -6.85 J/K kg for the a-axis and -6.49 for the c-axis at 7T. (c) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.