Magnetocaloric properties of nanocrystalline La0.125Ca0.875MnO3

Some recent experimental studies show the invisibility of antiferromagnetic transition in the cases of manganites when their particle size is reduced to nanometer scale. In complete contrast to these cases, we have observed the signature of antiferromagnetic transition in the magnetocaloric properties of nanocrystalline La0.125Ca0.875MnO3 of average particle sizes 70 and 60 nm similar to its polycrystalline bulk form. The system exhibits inverse magnetocaloric effect in its polycrystalline and nanocrystalline forms. An extra ferromagnetic phase is stabilized at low temperature for the sample with particle size similar to 60 nm.