Electron-transport properties and electronic structure of the Nd3Co11B4 compound

New results of the electronic and transport (electrical resistivity) properties of Nd3Co11B4 compound are reported. This compound crystallises in the hexagonal Ce3Co11B4-type structure. The magnetisation measurements have shown that the Nd3Co11B4 compound is ferromagnetic with T-C = 392 K and saturation moment M-s = 12.20 mu(B)/f.u. at T = 4.2 K. The electrical resistivity of Nd3Co11B4 compound was measured over temperature range 4.2-360 K. At low temperatures, the resistivity rho increases with temperatures as T-2, implying that the electron-spin wave scattering is dominant in this temperature range. The experimental results are discussed on the basis of s-d scattering in the high-temperature range. The electronic structure of Nd3Co11B4 compound is calculated by self-consistent spin-polarised LMTO method. The calculated contribution from the band structure to the resistivity is close to the experimental ones. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.