Magnetic Properties of PrAl2

Abstract
Neutron diffraction powder patterns have confirmed that the compound PrAl2 undergoes a magnetic transition to a ferromagnetic structure at a Curie temperature of 38°K. The ordered moment at saturation on the Pr atom sites is 2.94±0.05 μB which is close to the full moment of 3.2 μB expected for the free Pr+3 ion. No detectable moment is observed for Al. The present results for the total moment per molecule are in satisfactory agreement with previous magnetization measurements. The shape of the magnetic form factor for the Pr3+ ion was determined over the range from (sinθ)/λ=0.1 Å−1 to 0.5 Å−1 and is in good agreement with calculated values.