Crystal and magnetic structure studies of Ni-Zn niobates

New materials with coupled electric and magnetic properties have become one of the main areas of research in materials science, as they have promising applications in advanced devices. In our research, we are focusing on Ni4Nb2O9, an unusual member of a well-studied family of functional materials. To modify and control its magnetic properties, we replaced magnetic Ni by non-magnetic Zn, studying the structural changes and their connection to physical properties. Neutron diffraction can offer explanations for the evolution of these properties with composition and temperature, particularly those related to the magnetic behaviour of the materials. We will follow the evolution of magnetism in the samples to understand the interaction between cations in different positions in the structure.