Magnetic glassiness and crystal field effects on thermal and electrical properties of Er5Pd2-type compounds

Magnetic properties, thermal expansion, heat capacity, and electrical resistivity of the cluster-glass compound Er4.8Pd2 and its paramagnetic isostructural counterpart Lu4.8Pd2 have been studied in the temperature range 2–300 K and in applied magnetic fields up to 140 kOe. Short-range antiferromagnetic (AFM) correlations of localized magnetic moments of Er3+ ions were found to develop in Er4.8Pd2 on cooling below T* ≈ 40 K. A cluster-glass magnetic state was observed below freezing temperature Tf ≈ 13.3 K, while Lu4.8Pd2 showed paramagnetic behavior. The crystal electric field (CEF) was found to substantially affect both the heat capacity and the thermal expansion of Er4.8Pd2. The CEF splitting of the Er3+ ion multiplet 4I15/2 was estimated to be as high as 280 K with a doublet ground state. Both the Schottky-type anomaly and short-range antiferromagnetic order contributions were found to give rise to a large volumetric heat capacity of Er4.8Pd2 at low temperatures. High direct magnetocaloric effect with −ΔSM(T)60kOe = 18.8 J mole−1 K−1 was confirmed to exist in Er4.8Pd2 while no inverse magnetocaloric effect was observed at low temperatures. Electrical resistivity of Er4.8Pd2 revealed a non-metallic behavior at low temperatures which was ascribed to an inhomogeneous electronic state due to the formation of clusters with the AFM short-range correlations. [Display omitted] •Large volumetric heat capacity was observed in Er4.8Pd2 at low temperatures.•Crystal electric field effects on the thermal properties of Er4.8Pd2 was estimated.•Non-metallic electrical resistivity in Er4.8Pd2 arises from glassy magnetic state.•Large direct magnetocaloric effect was confirmed in Er4.8Pd2 at low temperatures.