We investigate the effect of deviations from the stoichiometric
composition on the structural and magnetic properties of the
Fe2+xCr1−xAl system.
The ordered L 21
structure was identified in all prepared alloys, and was found to coexist with a tetragonally
distorted face-centred tetragonal (fct) phase. The Curie temperature is strongly
composition dependent, and achieves its highest value in the alloy which has the
smallest cell volume. The saturation magnetization and saturation moments at 4.2 K
increase with the increase of the Cr concentration. Conversely, the highest average
Bhf
value at 300 K was obtained for the more Fe-rich alloy. It may be inferred from our results
that the Fe atoms are carrying a non-null magnetic moment, which depends strongly on the
composition in this system.