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At least 19 records

The effects of high-pressure annealing on magnetostructural transitions and magnetoresponsive properties in stoichiometric MnCoGe

In this study, phase transitions (structural and magnetic) and associated magnetocaloric properties of stoichiometric MnCoGe have been investigated as a function of annealing pressure. Metastable phases were generated by annealing at 800 °C followed by rapid cooling under pressures up to 6.0 GPa. The x-ray diffraction results reveal that the crystal cell volume of the metastable phases continuously decreases with increasing thermal processing pressure, leading to a decrease in the structural transition temperature. The magnetic and structural transitions merge and form a first-order magnetostructural transition between the ferromagnetic orthorhombic and paramagnetic hexagonal phases over a broad temperature range (>80 K) spanning room temperature, yielding considerable magnetic entropy changes. These findings demonstrate the utility of thermal processing under high pressure, i.e., high-pressure annealing, to control the magnetostructural transitions and associated magnetocaloric properties of MnCoGe without altering its chemical composition.

Physics↗

The influence of hydrostatic pressure and annealing conditions on the magnetostructural transitions in MnCoGe

In this work, the phase transitions of stoichiometric MnCoGe alloys were studied by systematically varying the annealing conditions and applying hydrostatic pressure. First-order martensitic structural transitions from the Ni2In-type hexagonal austenite phase to the TiNiSi-type orthorhombic martensite phase spanned a wide temperature window (>200 K) as a result of quenching the samples at temperatures ranging from the solid phase at 700 °C to the liquid phase at 1150 °C. Despite the large variation in their structural transition temperatures, the changes in cell parameters across the structural transitions and the Curie–Weiss temperatures of the martensite/austenite phase were relatively small. For the sample quenched from 800 °C, coupled magnetostructural transitions were observed, and the largest maximum magnetic entropy change was found to be -ΔS max = 33:6 J/kg K for a 7-T field change. The coupled magnetostructural transitions and the corresponding magnetic entropy enhancements were found to also be achievable by applying hydrostatic pressures. Meanwhile, as the quenching temperatures or hydrostatic pressures increased, the first-order martensitic structural transition shifted toward lower temperature until it was ultimately absent, in which case only the crystal structure and magnetic transition of the Ni 2 In-type hexagonal austenite phase were present.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Realization of Magnetostructural Transition and Magnetocaloric Properties of Ni–Mn–Mo–Sn Heusler Alloys

As magnetic cooling refrigerant, Ni–Mn–Sn Heusler alloys have gained significant potentials for a wide range of practical applications as compared with other expensive Ga-doped Ni–Mn based Heusler alloys, toxic As and P doped Mn-based alloys and rare-earth elements like Gd-based alloys. Consequently, an inclusive investigation on magnetostructural transition and magnetocaloric features of Ni{sub 43}Mn{sub 47−x}Mo{sub x}Sn{sub 10} alloys is carried out. The alloys are assembled through arc-melting technique and their X-ray diffraction analysis confirms their B{sub 2}-type crystal structure at room temperature. As the Mo contents are increased, the magnetostructural transition temperature increases for a temperature range between Curie temperature of austenite and martensite phases. Obvious metamagnetic behavior and magnetic hysteresis are observed in isothermal magnetization curves, suggesting that the temperature and magnetic field can be used as robust tools for tuning the structural transformation in Heusler alloys. The noticeable magnetocaloric effect suggests that the prepared alloys can be an attractive choice for magnetic refrigeration applications.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Manipulation of magnetostructural transition and realization of prominent multifunctional magnetoresponsive properties in NiCoMnIn alloys

Promising multifunctional magnetoresponsive effects such as magnetoresistance, magnetostrain, and the magnetocaloric effect have recently been extensively studied in Ni-Mn-based metamagnetic shape memory alloys, but large reversible magnetoresponsive effects are usually obtained under high magnetic fields, which is an obstacle for practical applications. In this work, through manipulating magnetostructural transition, we achieved large reversible magnetoresponsive effects under a relatively low magnetic field of 3 T in a Ni-Co-Mn-In alloy. By systematically tuning the Mn/In ratio and Co substitution, an optimum composition Ni 49 Co 3 Mn 34 In 14 with a low thermal hysteresis (8 K), a narrow transformation interval (7 K) and a high sensitivity of transformation temperature to field change (6KT -1 ), was obtained. Good geometric compatibility between austenite and martensite was revealed by in situ synchrotron high-energy x-ray diffraction experiment, which accounts for the low hysteresis and narrow transformation interval. A reversible transformation between pure austenite and pure martensite is induced by a relatively low field of 3 T, which was directly evidenced by in situ neutron diffraction experiments. As a result, a large reversible magnetocaloric effect with entropy change of 16.5Jkg -1 K -1 , a large reversible magnetostrain of 0.26%, and a large reversible magnetoresistance of 60%, under a relatively low field of 3 T, were simultaneously achieved. These reversible magnetoresponsive effects are comparable to the maximum reversible values obtained under high fields in other Ni-Mn-based alloys, but the magnetic field we applied is much lower. This research may guide the design of metamagnetic shape memory alloys with low-field-induced magnetoresponsive properties for magnetic refrigeration, magnetic sensing, and magnetic recording applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Magnetic field-induced magnetostructural transition and huge tensile superelasticity in an oligocrystalline Ni–Cu–Co–Mn–In microwire

Meta-magnetic shape-memory alloys combine ferroelastic order with ferromagnetic order and exhibit attractive multifunctional properties, but they are extremely brittle, showing hardly any tensile deformability, which impedes their practical application. Here, for the first time, an Ni–Cu–Co–Mn–In microwire has been developed that simultaneously exhibits a magnetic field-induced first-order meta-magnetic phase transition and huge tensile superelasticity. A temperature-dependent in situ synchrotron high-energy X-ray diffraction investigation reveals that the martensite of this Ni 43.7 Cu 1.5 Co 5.1 Mn 36.7 In 13 microwire shows a monoclinic six-layered modulated structure and the austenite shows a cubic structure. This microwire exhibits an oligocrystalline structure with bamboo grains, which remarkably reduces the strain incompatibility during deformation and martensitic transformation. As a result, huge tensile superelasticity with a recoverable strain of 13% is achieved in the microwire. This huge tensile superelasticity is in agreement with our theoretical calculations based on the crystal structure and lattice correspondence of austenite and martensite and the crystallographic orientation of the grains. Owing to the large magnetization difference between austenite and martensite, a pronounced magnetic field-induced magnetostructural transition is achieved in the microwire, which could give rise to a variety of magnetically driven functional properties. For example, a large magnetocaloric effect with an isothermal entropy change of 12.7 J kg -1 K -1 (under 5 T) is obtained. The realization of magnetic-field- and tensile-stress-induced structural transformations in the microwire may pave the way for exploiting the multifunctional properties under the coupling of magnetic field and stress for applications in miniature multifunctional devices.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Electron–phonon coupling enhancement and displacive magnetostructural transition in SrCr 2 As 2 under magneto-Raman spectroscopy

Here, a Raman spectroscopy study on high quality single crystals of SrCr 2 A s 2 (SCA) in the temperature T range 4 K < T < 300 K and high applied magnetic fields up to H = 9 T is presented. The chromium B 1g phonon analysis reveals two anomalous shifts in the frequency, the first below T = 250 K at H = 0 T in the saturated AFM G -type order likely due to an enhanced electron–phonon coupling by the magnetic order, whereas the second anomaly occurs above H = 4 T at T = 4 K likely as a consequence of a magnetostructural displacive transition. Renormalization of the electronic Raman spectra in both studies reveals a decrease in the electronic density of states with decreasing T and increasing H , respectively, with consequent changes in the Fermi surface, which are intrinsically related to the observed anomalies.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Anomalous electrical transport behavior in the vicinity of the first-order magnetostructural transition in the giant magnetocaloric Gd 4 ScGe 4

Here, magnetic, specific heat, and electrical transport measurements of Gd 4 ScGe 4 single crystals reveal sharp, discontinuous, nearly anhysteretic first-order magnetostructural transformation at $T_C$ = 63 K. The electrical resistivity exhibits two distinct regions where it increases with decreasing temperature: between $T_C$ and 120 K, as well as below 3 K; electronic transport remains conventionally metallic at all other measured temperatures, up to 325 K. The dispersion of charge carriers due to electron-paramagnon scattering is the likely reason for the observed anomalous transport above $T_C$. Additionally, the existence of intermediate lattice states near the transition recognized by the spike in the interslab Ge-Ge distances is expected to reduce the mean free path of the electrons contributing to the unusual behavior of the electrical resistivity between $T_C$ and 120 K. Beyond conventional electronic and lattice terms, the third component of likely magnetic origin contributes to the low-temperature heat capacity; the presence of spin waves may be responsible for the increased electron-magnon scattering below 3 K. Minor magnetocrystalline anisotropy is observed with the b axis as the easy magnetization axis in Gd 4 ScGe 4 . A negative deviation from linearity in the temperature dependence of the inverse magnetic susceptibility is detected below 150 K.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Controlling magnetostructural transition and magnetocaloric effect in multi-component transition-metal-based materials

Proper coupling between structural and magnetic transitions is critical for the emergence and control of magnetocaloric effects in solids. We examine the influence of minor substitutional doping (replacing Mn by Cr and Al by Sn) and interstitial doping with B on the magnetic, structural, and magnetocaloric properties of recently discovered Mn 0.5 Fe 0.5 NiSi 0.94 Al 0.06 alloy exhibiting a giant magnetocaloric effect near room temperature. We demonstrate that magnetocaloric properties of the base compound can be controlled and, in some cases, improved by chemical substitutions. First-principles computations elucidate how small changes in the composition affect properties in this family of compounds and, thus, provide useful guidance for the selection of suitable doping elements for such materials. Here the magnetic-field-induced entropy change measured for Mn 0.5 Fe 0.5 NiSi 0.94 Al 0.06 B 0.005 is –22 J/kg K near room temperature for the applied magnetic field of 2 T, and it is among the highest known values for this class of materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Valence instability across the magnetostructural transition in USb 2

We have performed pressure-dependent x-ray diffraction and resonant x-ray emission spectroscopy experiments on USb 2 to further characterize the antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic transition occurring near 8 GPa. We have found the magnetic transition coincides with a tetragonal to orthorhombic transition resulting in a 17% volume collapse as well as a transient f-occupation enhancement. Compared to UAs 2 and UAsS, USb 2 shows a reduced bulk modulus and transition pressure and an increased volume collapse at the structural transition. Except for an enhancement across the transition region, the f occupancy decreases steadily from 1.96 to 1.75.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Magnetostructural phase transitions and large magnetic entropy changes in Ag-doped Mn 1–x Ag x CoGe intermetallic compounds

The influence of Ag-doping on the crystallographic structure, magnetic properties, and magnetocaloric effects of Mn 1–x Ag x CoGe (0.01 ≤ x ≤ 0.10) is reported. A transformation of crystal structure from orthorhombic to hexagonal was observed at room temperature. Doping Ag in Mn sites results in a first-order magnetostructural transition near room temperature. Furthermore, a Curie-temperature window of 90 K was obtained between the Curie temperatures of the austenite (Ni 2 In-type) and martensite (TiNiSi-type) phases. Large magnetic entropy change values of ~22.0 and 9.4 J/kg/K, and refrigerant capacity of 308 and 272 J/kg, were found for x = 0.06 and 0.05, respectively, for μ o ΔH = 5 T.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Enhanced magnetocaloric effects in metastable phases of Mn 1- x Co x NiGe generated through thermal quenching and high-pressure annealing

Metastable phases were formed in Mn 1-x Co x NiGe (x = 0.05 and 0.08) by annealing at 800 °C followed by rapid cooling, i.e., quenching, at ambient pressure (P = 0) and under a pressure of P = 3.5 GPa, and their phase transitions and associated magnetocaloric properties were investigated. The crystal cell volumes of the metastable phases decreased, and their structural transitions significantly shifted to lower temperatures relative to those of the slow-cooled compounds, with a greater reduction observed in the samples where the rapid cooling occurred under high pressures. The magnetic and structural transitions coupled to form a magnetostructural transition in the metastable phases, resulting in large magnetic entropy changes up to -79.6 J kg -1 K -1 (x = 0.08 ) for a 7-T field change. As a result, the experimental results demonstrate thermal quenching and high-pressure annealing as alternative methods to create magnetostructural transitions, without modifying the compositions of the materials.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Effects of doping, hydrostatic pressure, and thermal quenching on the phase transitions and magnetocaloric properties in Mn 1– x Co x NiGe

The effects of doping, hydrostatic pressure, and thermal quenching on the phase transitions and magnetocaloric properties of the Mn 1–x Co x NiGe system have been investigated. Cobalt doping on the Mn site shifted the martensitic structural transition toward lower temperature until it was ultimately absent, leaving only a magnetic transition from a ferromagnetic (FM) to a paramagnetic (PM) state in the high-temperature hexagonal phase. Co-occurrence of the magnetic and structural transitions to form a first-order magnetostructural transition (MST) from the FM orthorhombic to the PM hexagonal phase was observed in samples with 0.05 < x < 0.20. An additional antiferromagnetic–ferromagnetic-like transition was observed in the martensite phase for 0.05 < x < 0.10, which gradually vanished with increasing Co concentration (x > 0.10) or magnetic field (H > 0.5 T). The application of external hydrostatic pressure shifted the structural transition to lower temperature until an MST was formed in samples with x = 0.03 and 0.05, inducing large magnetic entropy changes up to –80.3 J kg –1 K –1 (x = 0.03) for a 7-T field change under 10.6-kbar pressure. Similar to the effects of the application of hydrostatic pressure, an MST was formed near room temperature in the sample with x = 0.03 by annealing at high temperature (1200 °C) followed by quenching, resulting in a large magnetic entropy change of –56.2 J kg –1 K –1 . Furthermore, these experimental results show that the application of pressure and thermal quenching, in addition to compositional variations, are effective methods to create magnetostructural transitions in the MnNiGe system, resulting in large magnetocaloric effects.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Magnetic ordering in Eu 2 In and Eu 2 Sn

Eu 2 In and Eu 2 Sn crystallize in the orthorhombic Co 2 Si-type structure (oP12, Pnma, No. 62) with In and Sn atoms occupying one 4c site and the Eu atoms filling two other 4c sites. Eu 2 In has a nearly ideal first-order magnetostructural transition (FOMT) at 55 K with a hysteresis of less than 0.1 K, a large entropy change and an adiabatic temperature change of 5.0 K in a field of 2 T. The anhysteretic nature of the FOMT is likely due to there being no change in cell symmetry and relatively small changes in the lattice parameters. There is no magnetostructural transition in Eu2Sn. In this work we present the results of powder neutron diffraction, magnetization, and Eu Mössbauer spectroscopy aimed to investigate the nature of magnetic order for both Eu 2 In and Eu 2 Sn. The Eu Mössbauer spectrum of Eu 2 In at 5 K shows two equal area components, consistent with Eu occupying two equal multiplicity crystallographic sites. However, the different hyperfine fields (B) of 27 T and 17 T suggest that the magnetic environments of the Eu moments on the two 4c sites are different. Neutron diffraction data at 2.5 K show that in Eu 2 In the order is ferromagnetic, with Eu moments on both Eu sites oriented parallel to the a-axis; moment values of 6.8 μB and 6.5 μB were found. For Eu 2 Sn measurements find two antiferromagnetic transitions, which are corroborated by neutron diffraction. Analysis of density-functional theory calculations shows negligible energy difference between differing magnetic configurations, indirectly supporting stability of multiple magnetic structures observed experimentally. While the transition at T N1 = 30 K corresponds to the formation of a simple k 1 = 0 antiferromagnetic structure with Eu-moments pointing along the b-axis, at T N2 = 13 K a coexisting second magnetic order with k 2 = [0, ½, ½] appears.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Evidence for a short-range chemical order of Ge atoms and its critical role in inducing a giant magnetocaloric effect in Gd 5 Si 1.5 Ge 2.5

Crystal structure and magnetic properties of Gd 5 Si 1.5 Ge 2.5 and Gd 4.9 Zr 0·1 Si 1.5 Ge 2.5 were investigated using high-energy X-ray diffraction and magnetic measurements. Results showed that a Zr substitution for 2% Gd reduces unit cell volumes of a room-temperature monoclinic and a low-temperature orthorhombic lattice and a difference between them at a magnetostructural transition. At a microscopic level, the Zr substitution increases length of disconnected interlayer T–T bonds of the monoclinic lattice at the expense of length of connected interlayer T–T bonds (T = Si, Ge). These opposing changes of the interlayer T–T bonds provided evidence for existence of a short-range chemical order of Ge atoms in lattices of Gd 5 Si 1.5 Ge 2.5 and its weakening by the Zr substitution. Magnetic measurements revealed that the Zr substitution brings about a change of the magnetic structure and a reduction of a giant magnetocaloric effect of Gd 5 Si 1.5 Ge 2.5 . Based on such structural and magnetic changes due to the Zr substitution, we propose a relation between the short-range chemical order and the total entropy change at the magnetostructural transition. Finally, using this relation, a giant magnetocaloric effect and an annealing effect observed over a wide range of Gd 5 (Si,Ge) 4 composition can be explained quantitatively.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Intrinsic topological Weyl phase transition induced by a magnetostructural transformation in a kagome magnet

Topological phase transitions provide a unique window into the interplay between structure, magnetism, and Weyl physics in magnetic Weyl semimetals. However, realizing an intrinsic Weyl phase transition between two distinct Weyl states near room temperature remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate that a magnetostructural transition effectively induces such a transition in the kagome magnet Mn3Ga. High-resolution neutron diffraction, magnetization characterizations and first-principles calculations reveal that Mn3Ga undergoes a chiral antiferromagnetic transition below 485 K, followed by a magnetostructural transition to a monoclinic structure with highly canted antiferromagnetic order near room temperature. These cooperative changes in lattice and magnetic symmetries reorganize Weyl nodes, driving a transition from a primary type-II Weyl state to a distinct Weyl state, accompanied by dramatic variations in the anomalous Hall effect and appearance of topological Hall effect. Our findings open a new pathway for discovering novel topological Weyl states and advancing potential spintronic applications.

Yang, Tsung-Han [ORNL] (ORCID:000000030186302X)↗