Recent progress of magnetocaloric effect and magnetic refrigerant materials of Mn compounds

Magnetocaloric and related properties of Ru and Ni substituted (MnFe)(2)(PSi) are presented. It is found that Ru and Ni are effective doping elements to reduce the thermal hysteresis of (MnFe)(2)(PSi). The origin of the thermal hysteresis is discussed on the basis of a thermodynamic model. It is shown that the elastic energy is responsible for the thermal hysteresis. We also show recent developments of the production process of Mn compounds in an industrial scale. (C) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC.