Structures and magnetic anisotropy of \beta-Mn₂V₂O₇ crystals synthesized by the molten salt method

\beta-Mn₂V₂O_7 crystals with strip shape are successfully prepared by the molten salt method in a closed crucible, and are characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area of electron diffraction (SAED) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The results indicate that the sample is of the \beta-Mn₂V₂O₇ crystal with monoclinic symmetry, level natural cleavage facets and directional growth. Magnetic properties are measured by vibration sample magnetometry (VSM) at room temperature, and the magnetic hysteresis loop indicates that the \beta-Mn₂V₂O₇ has anti-ferromagnetic properties with low coercive force and remnant magnetization. The magnetic measurement results in different directions exhibit that the \beta-Mn₂V₂O₇ has magnetic anisotropy, which is due to the fact that the magnetic interaction energy of the \beta-Mn₂V₂O₇ is lowest only when the electron configuration is in a certain direction.