High-throughput characterization of the adiabatic temperature change for magnetocaloric materials

Abstract

The potential applicability of a magnetocaloric material for solid-state refrigeration purposes mainly relies on its magnetocaloric effect (MCE). Since conventional measurements to assess MCE are generally time–consuming, it is uneasy to fast screen prominent magnetocaloric materials. Here, we have developed a high-throughput infrared characterization technique to feasibly evaluate the adiabatic temperature change of magnetocaloric materials. This method is applicable to both the second-order phase transition Gd and the first-order phase transition (FOPT) La–Fe–Si–based materials, allowing simultaneous measurement of the temperature changes induced by MCE of multiple samples. Moreover, it greatly facilitates the examination of the functional stability of FOPT magnetocaloric materials by accomplishing the cycling test in a short time. By repeatedly changing the magnetic field of 0–1.3–0 T in 0.25 Hz for La1.2Ce0.8Fe11Si2Hy, we observed the adiabatic temperature changes of 2.12 K for the first cycle and 1.85 K upon 100000 cycles. Correspondingly, the change in magnetocaloric response of the sample is visualized by the high-resolution infrared image, giving explanations for the evolution of MCE during cycling.