A study of the phase transition and magnetocaloric effect in multiferroic La2MnNiO6 single crystals

Magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of single crystal double perovskite La2MnNiO6 have been investigated in details. Its ordered phase with a high Curie temperature (T-C = 280 K) exhibits a significant refrigerant capacity around room temperature. A model based on the mean field theory approximation has been used in order to quantify the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties in the ordered La2MnNiO6. The magnetization and entropy changes were satisfactorily simulated as a function of temperature and magnetic field. On the other hand, the presence of cationic disorder in La2MnNiO6 phases allows to shift the Curie point to low temperature without a significant change in the magnetocaloric performance. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.