Unusual first-order magnetic phase transition and large magnetocaloric effect in Nd2In

A large magnetocaloric effect with its maximum near the boiling point of natural gas occurs in a rare-earth intermetallic compound Nd2In. While behaviors of physical properties indicate that paramagnetic-ferromagnetic transformation supporting the large magnetocaloric effect is first order in nature, temperature-dependent crys-tallographic study reveals no changes in lattice symmetry and lack of discontinuities either in phase volume or lattice parameters. The borderline first-order nature of phase transformation in Nd2In is markedly different from conventional first-order magnetic transitions occurring in other members of the family - isostructural Pr2In and nonisostructural Eu2In.

Automated summary

The rare-earth intermetallic compound Nd2In exhibits a large magnetocaloric effect near the boiling point of natural gas. The paramagnetic-ferromagnetic transformation supporting this effect is found to be first order in nature, despite the lack of changes in lattice symmetry and discontinuities in phase volume or lattice parameters. This borderline first-order nature of phase transformation in Nd2In differs significantly from conventional first-order magnetic transitions in other related compounds.