Magnetic entropy-change in La0.67−xBixCa0.33MnO3 compound

Bi doped lanthanum manganites with the chemical composition of La_0.67−xBi_xCa_0.33MnO₃ (x=0$x=0$, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2) were prepared by the standard solid-state process. The Curie temperatures were measured to be 267 K for x=0$x=0$, 248 K for x=0.05$x=0.05$, 244 K for x=0.1$x=0.1$ and 229 K for x=0.2$x=0.2$ samples. It was found that the maximum value of the magnetic entropy change ∣ΔS_m∣ has reached the highest value of 6.08 J/kg K at 3 T for the composition with x=0.05$x=0.05$. Nearly the same maximum entropy change was observed for the x=0$x=0$ sample. A large decrease in the magnitude of the entropy change was observed for the x=0.2$x=0.2$ sample.     

Magnetocaloric effect of Gd5SixSn4−x Alloys

The crystal structure and magnetocaloric effect of Gd₅Si_xSn_4−x   (with x=2.4$x=2.4$, 2.6 and 2.8) alloys were studied by means of X-ray power diffraction (XRD) and magnetic measurements. From the XRD results, these alloys adopt a Gd₅Si₄-type structure for x=2.8$x=2.8$, Gd₅Si₄-type and Gd₅Si₂Ge₂-type mixed structures for x=2.4$x=2.4$ and 2.6, while some minor phases can also be found. The Curie temperatures of the Gd₅Si_xSn_4−x increases gradually when x increases from 276 K for x=2.4$x=2.4$, to 301.5 K for x=2.8$x=2.8$. Magnetic entropy changes of these alloys at a magnetic field change of 0–1.8 T are 1.88, 2.26 and 1.69 J/kg K for x=2.4$x=2.4$, 2.6 and 2.8, respectively. The temperature-dependent XRD analysis shows that there is no crystallographic transition for these alloys, which can explain their low magnetic entropy changes.     

Effect of carbon content on structure and magnetic properties for (Fe,Ni)1−xCx by mechanical alloying

FCC (Fe₅₅Ni₄₅)_1−xC_x   supersaturated solid solution was prepared in a wide concentration range (0?x?0.9)$(0?x?0.9)$ by mechanical alloying of nanocrystalline Fe₅₅Ni₄₅ with graphite. The lattice constant of Fe₅₅Ni₄₅ increases linearly with increasing carbon content up to x=0.25$x=0.25$. At the same time, it is found that the magnetic moment per metal atom (Fe, Ni) decreases linearly with increasing carbon content for 0?x?0.25$0?x?0.25$ with a slope of 1.2 μ_B/at. For high carbon content, x?0.5$x?0.5$, it is observed that the decrease of lattice constant and increase of moment per metal atom (Fe, Ni) with increasing C content, indicates that the dissolution of carbon is hindered by the high-volume fraction of graphite in the initial powder mixture. The complete amorphization of x=0.5$x=0.5$ does not occur after the extended ball milling. The alloying effect of carbon on the magnetization is compared with other metalloid B, P, and Si in Fe- and Ni-based binary system.     

Thermodynamics properties of an anisotropic Ising antiferromagnet in both external longitudinal and transverse fields

We have studied the anisotropic two-dimensional nearest-neighbor Ising model with competitive interactions in both uniform longitudinal field H$H$ and transverse magnetic field Ω$\Omega$. Using the effective-field theory (EFT) with correlation in cluster with N=1$N=1$ spin we calculate the thermodynamic properties as a function of temperature with values H$H$ and Ω$\Omega$ fixed. The model consists of ferromagnetic interaction _Jx$J_x$ in the x$x$ direction and antiferromagnetic interaction _Jy$J_y$ in the y$y$ direction, and it is found that for H/_Jy∈[0,2]$H/J_y\in [0,2]$ the system exhibits a second-order phase transition. The thermodynamic properties are obtained for the particular case of λ=_Jx/_Jy=1$\lambda =J_x/J_y=1$ (isotropic square lattice).     

Magnetic and optical properties of spinel FexCo3−xO4 thin films

Magnetic and optical properties of Fe_xCo_3−xO₄ thin films grown by sol–gel method have been investigated as the Fe composition (x  ) increases from 0 to 2. X-ray diffraction measurements revealed that the normal- and inverse-spinel phases coexist for 0.76?x?0.93$0.76?x?0.93$. The normal-spinel phase is dominant below x=0.76$x=0.76$ while the inverse-spinel phase above x=0.93$x=0.93$. The lattice constant of the inverse-spinel phase is found to be larger than that of the normal-spinel phase. For both phases the lattice constant increases with increasing x. The Fe_xCo_3−xO₄ films containing the inverse-spinel phase exhibit net magnetization that increases with increasing x  . Conversion electron Mössbauer spectrum measured on the x=0.93$x=0.93$ sample showed that Fe²⁺ ions prefer the octahedral sites, indicating the formation of the inverse-spinel phase. Analysis on the measured optical absorption spectra for the samples by spectroscopic ellipsometry indicates a dominance of the normal-spinel phase for low x in which Fe³⁺ ions mostly occupy the octahedral sites. Observation of a crystal-field transition at 1.6 eV originating from tetrahedral Fe³⁺ ion confirms the existence of the inverse-spinel phase for high x.