Magnetic and transport properties of Laves phase Dy<inf>1-x</inf>Mm<inf>x</inf>Co<inf>2</inf> (x = 0-0.5) alloys

The influence of Mm substitution (Mm = mischmetal) on structural, transport and magnetic properties of (Dy1-xMmx)Co2 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5) alloys has been investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), temperature dependent electrical resistivity (ρ(T)), ac susceptibility (χ(T)) and thermopower (S(T)). XRD patterns show the formation of solid solutions crystallizing with cubic Laves (C15) type structure at room temperature. The pronounced discontinuities in the resistivity and thermopower at Curie temperature (TC) are explained based on the suppression of the spin-fluctuation contribution. The gradual decrease in TC and sharpness of discontinuities in ρ(T) and S(T) with increasing Mm substitution has been discussed. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.