Heusler-type magnetic phase-transition alloys: Advanced <italic>in-situ</italic> characterization and high-performance design

Abstract

<p indent="0mm">Heusler-type magnetic phase-transition alloys are a new kind of intelligent materials. They exhibit a magnetic-field-induced phase transition and thus show fascinating multifunctional properties including magnetic shape memory effect, magnetic superelasticity, magnetocaloric effect, and magnetoresistance. As a result, these alloys show promising prospects of applications as sensors, actuators and solid-state refrigerants in the fields of aeronautics and astronautics, defense, energy, etc. The crystal structure, magnetic structure and magnetostructural transition under the coupling of multiple external fields are of great importance for the multifunctional properties of these alloys. Neutron scattering provides a unique technique for studying the crystal structure, magnetic structure and lattice dynamics in these alloys, and <italic>in</italic>-<italic>situ</italic> neutron scattering and synchrotron high-energy X-ray diffraction techniques offer a powerful tool to study the magnetostructural transition under the coupling of multiple external fields. The present paper reviews the recent progress on the <italic>in</italic>-<italic>situ</italic> study of crystal structure, magnetic structure and phase transition under the coupling of multiple external fields in the Heusler-type magnetic phase-transition alloys using the advanced neutron scattering and synchrotron radiation techniques, as well as the high-performance design based on the <italic>in</italic>-<italic>situ</italic> characterization, with an aim to provide some guidance for the future design and development of high-performance magnetic phase-transition materials.