Synthesis and Magnetic Properties of Mn/Fe/Co Binary Solid Solution in the A-site of V₂SnC-MAX Phases

Abstract

This study reported the synthesis of magnetic solid solutions V₂(A_xB_ySn_1−x−y)C (where A and B are Mn, Fe, or Co) MAX phases. These materials were prepared by incorporating magnetic elements into the V₂SnC MAX phase via pressure-less sintering at 1 000 °C for 3 hours. XRD analysis reveals that the composition with x = y = 0.2 exhibits a shift of diffraction peaks to higher angles, indicating lattice parameter changes, and achieves the highest phase purity with the maximum solid solution limit, further increases in the dopant content led to the formation of impurities. While the solid solution of magnetic elements preserves the characteristic layered structure of the MAX phase, it successfully induces magnetic properties. The magnetic transition temperatures for these solid solutions ranges from 61 to 200 K. Specifically, V₂(Mn_xCo_ySn_1−x−y)C demonstrated hard magnetic characteristics, with a high saturation magnetization (6.536 emu/g) and large remanence (4.236 emu/g). In contrast, V₂(Mn_xFe_ySn_1−x−y)C and V₂(Fe_xCo_ySn_1−x−y)C exhibits soft magnetic behavior, evidenced by their narrow hysteresis loops and low coercivity. Their saturation magnetization values are 3.80 and 1.784 emu/g, respectively. The distinctly “S”-shaped hysteresis loop of V₂(Fe_xCo_ySn_1−x−y)C further confirms its soft magnetic nature.

Keywords

V₂SnC / solid solution / pressure less sintering / magnetic MAX phase / density functional theory

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