Microwave synthesis and magnetic properties of Laves-type Ti₂M₃Si (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni)

Fast and energy-efficient synthesis methods become increasingly important aspects in the experimental high throughput searching of functional materials. Particularly high-temperature solid-state preparation techniques typically require large amounts of energy due to extended heating cycles. Therefore, we have utilized a time and energy-efficient synthesis method using a commercial microwave oven in order to prepare intermetallic Laves-type phases. Ti₂M₃Si with M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni can be prepared within only 10 min of microwave heating based on this convenient one-step procedure. These compounds are of interest because of their potentially useful magnetic properties and therefore contribute to the ongoing search for rare earth-free alternatives to state-of-the-art magnetic materials. Transition metal-based Laves phase compounds Ti₂M₃Si were prepared by time- and energy-efficient microwave heating and their structural and magnetic properties studied.