Synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of Pr3Ni2NbO9 double perovskite

For expanding horizon of multifunctional materials, synthesis of Pr₃Ni₂NbO₉ in the series of modified double perovskite in single phase polycrystalline form is reported here for the first time to best of our knowledge. The phase purity has been confirmed by X-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction performed under ambient conditions where conclusions were drawn on basis of reports of iso-structural double perovskite compound like La₃Ni₂TaO₉, recently studied by some of us. Field Emission-Scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been carried out, XPS results suggest that constituent elements are not in mixed valence state. The temperature dependent DC magnetization study indicates spontaneous magnetic ordering at ∼28 K and the AC susceptibility study rule out glassy behavior. The neutron diffraction study at 2 K does not show any signature of magnetic ordering. This has been further examined by specific heat and dielectric study for further understand the physical properties. We emphasis that such behavior needs to be examined in more details by theoretical and advanced experimental characterization techniques to probe magnetism at local level.