Dielectric and magnetic studies of gel-grown copper malonate trihydrate crystals

Single crystals of copper malonate trihydrate were grown in silica gel by slow diffusion of copper nitrate by sodium metasilicate gel impregnated with malonic acid. The grown crystal was subjected to dielectric studies and magnetic studies. The dielectric properties of the crystal were analyzed as a function of frequency and temperature. A vibrating sample magnetometer was used to determine the hysteresis properties of the crystals by measuring the magnetic moment for different applied fields. The crystal is found to be weakly ferromagnetic. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.