Crystal order and magnetic properties of Fe2.4V0.6Al alloy studied by magnetostatic and Mössbauer methods

Performed investigations showed that the magnetic properties of the Fe2.4V0.6Al alloy markedly depend on the degree of atomic order of its cubic structure. The atomically disordered alloy with A2 (bcc) type structure exhibits ferromagnetic properties. Its Mössbauer spectra can be described by the hyperfine field distribution connected with various local environments of Fe atoms. Alloys with B2 (sc) and DO3 (fcc) type structure do not exhibit magnetic transition above 4.2 K. High values of the magnetization and its strongly non-linear variation with magnetic field intensity in a wide temperature range suggest the presence of magnetic iron clusters in these alloys. Superparamagnetic relaxation times of the order of 10-9 s and 5 × 10-8 s correspond to the largest magnetic clusters with a magnetic moment of 4 × 103 žB in B2 and 104 žB in DO3-type structure, respectively. Mössbauer spectra of these alloys confirm lack of the magnetic order and also suggest the presence of the Fe magnetic clusters with those relaxation times. It was shown that the increase of atomic order of the crystal structure causes formation of the Fe magnetic clusters and disappearing of the magnetic order.