Magnetocaloric effect in Heusler shape-memory alloys

• Published in: Journal of magnetism and magnetic materials Vol. 310; no. 2; pp. 2767 - 2769
• Main Authors: Planes, A., Mañosa, Ll, Moya, X., Krenke, T., Acet, M., Wassermann, E.F.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01-03-2007; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Heusler alloys; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetically ordered materials: other intrinsic properties; Magnetocaloric effect; Magnetocaloric effect, magnetic cooling; Magnetoelastic coupling; Martensitic transformations; Materials science; Phase diagrams and microstructures developed by solidification and solid-solid phase transformations; Physics; Shape-memory effect; 62.20.Dc; 81.30.Kf; Magnetocaloric effect; Heusler alloys; Magnetoelastic coupling; 64.70.Kb; 63.20. - e; Shape-memory effect; Antiferromagnetism; Nickel alloys; Martensitic transformations; Ternary alloys; Gallium alloys; 62.20.Dc; 81.30.Kf; 64.70.Kb; 63.20.-e; Shape memory effects; Shape memory alloy; Magnetocaloric effects; Magnetic anisotropy; Manganese alloys; Magnetocaloric effect; Shape-memory effect; Heusler alloys; Magnetoelastic coupling; Magnetoelastic effects; Magnetic properties
• ISSN: 0304-8853
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jmmm.2006.10.1041

We present a comparative study of the magnetocaloric properties of Ni–Mn–X Heusler shape-memory alloys with
X
=
Ga
, Sn and In. In these materials, the magnetocaloric effect is a consequence of the magnetostructural coupling that enables the magnetic shape-memory properties. We show that inverse magnetocaloric effects can occur in these materials. The origin of this anomalous behavior is different in stoichiometric
Ni
2
MnGa
and in Ni–Mn–Sn/In. In the former case it is related to the strong uniaxial magnetic anisotropy of the martensitic phase, while in the later it is an intrinsic effect associated with an incipient antiferromagnetism.