Metamagnetic transition and magnetocaloric properties of Ni₄₅Mn₄₂In₁₃ Heusler alloy

ABSTRACT

We report a study of the metamagnetic transition and magnetocaloric effect in the ternary Ni₄₅Mn₄₂In₁₃ Heusler alloy system. We also investigate the structural and magnetic properties of the alloy. The crystal structure exhibited a mixture phase of martensite and austenite at room temperature which are typical for Heusler alloys. The thermomagnetization curves have martensitic and magnetic transition near room temperature and with a quite large magnetization value under 5 T applied external magnetic field. The obvious reversible metamagnetic behavior was seen between 285 and 295 K temperatures. The isothermal M–H curves also confirmed the metamagnetic transition and provided the magnetocaloric effects by Maxwell relations. This system underwent an austenite–martensite phase transition and the change in magnetic entropy was found to be quite large across this martensitic transition, so this led to an inverse magnetocaloric effect. Significant maximum magnetic entropy was obtained under 5 T applied magnetic field.

KEYWORDS:

• Heusler alloys
• thermomagnetization
• metamagnetic transition
• magnetic entropy
• magnetocaloric effect

Acknowledgements

The use of the laboratory of Prof. Dr. M.l Farle at the University of Duisburg-Essen to carry out some parts of the experiments presented in this manuscript is acknowledged. The author thanks Prof. Dr. M. Acet for useful discussions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).