Structural chemistry and magnetic properties of Pr3−xSr1+xCrNiO8

Polycrystalline samples of the n=1 Ruddlesden–Popper system Pr3−xSr1+xCrNiO8 have been synthesized over the composition range 0.00.1 adopt the tetragonal space group I4/mmm; Pr2.9Sr1.1CrNiO8 adopts the orthorhombic space group Fmmm. There is no evidence of Cr/Ni cation ordering in any composition. A maximum in the zero-field cooled magnetic susceptibility is observed at a temperature Tf that decreases with increasing Sr content; 52⩽Tf (K)⩽13. The frequency dependence of Tf observed in a.c. susceptibility measurements, together with the analysis of neutron diffraction data, suggests that the atomic magnetic moments in these compositions adopt a spin-glass-like state below Tf.