Near room-temperature magnetocaloric effect of liquid phase sintered Ni50Mn34-xIn16Crx alloys

The Ni50Mn34-xIn16Crx alloys were synthesized by a liquid phase sintering. Phase formation, microstructure and magnetic properties of the samples were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), respectively. The magnetic entropy change was calculated from the isothermal magnetization measurements under a magnetic field of 10 kOe. The maximum entropy change (delta S-M) of 1.57 J/kg.K for Ni50Mn34In16 gradually increases with increasing Cr contents and reaches the maximum value at 1.91 J/kg.K for the composition x = 1.0. In comparison with the results observed in Ni50Mn34In16, not only delta S-M is significantly enhanced by substitution of Mn with Cr but also the temperature at maximum entropy change shifts much closer to room temperature.

Automated summary

The Ni50Mn34-xIn16Crx alloys were synthesized by liquid phase sintering. The substitution of Mn with Cr significantly enhanced the magnetic entropy change and shifted the temperature at maximum entropy change closer to room temperature.