Magnetic properties and structure of hydrogen-amorphized intermetallic compounds RFe2Hx (R=Y, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er)

The magnetic properties and structure of hydrogen-amorphized RFe2Hx compounds (R=Y, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er) have been studied. It is shown that amorphization of the RFe2Hx hydrides results in an increase of Fe-Fe, and a decrease of R-Fe exchange interaction energy compared to their crystalline hydride counterparts. The magnetic structure of amorphous RFe2Hx compounds, with the exception of those with R=Y and Gd is apparently noncollinear ferrimagnetic, as in the crystalline hydrides. A model of the heterophase state of amorphous RFe2Hx hydrides based on x-ray diffraction and magnetic data is proposed. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.