Investigation of the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties in metamagnetic REFe2Si2 (RE = Pr and Nd) compounds

Abstract

• Single phased PrFe 2 Si 2 and NdFe 2 Si 2 compounds were prepared. • Magnetic and magnetocaloric properties in PrFe 2 Si 2 and NdFe 2 Si 2 were studied. • Antiferromagnetic ordering at 8.5 and 15.5 K for RE = Pr and Nd, respectively. • Field-induced metamagnetic transition below T N for both compounds. • The origin of MCE and its potential application in RE Fe 2 Si 2 were discussed. The crystal structure, cryogenic magnetic and magnetocaloric properties in NdFe 2 Si 2 and PrFe 2 Si 2 compounds have been investigated. The NdFe 2 Si 2 and PrFe 2 Si 2 crystallized in the body-centered tetragonal structure with the space group of I4/mmm, and underwent first order magnetic transition from paramagnetic to antiferromagnetic (PM – AFM) around Néel temperatures T N of 8.5 K and 15.5 K, respectively. Under an applied-field change of ΔH = 5 T, the maximum values of magnetic entropy change (−Δ S M max ) are 6.4 J/kg·K and 12.4 J/kg·K for PrFe 2 Si 2 and NdFe 2 Si 2 , corresponding to relative cooling power ( RCP ) values of 0.8 J/cm 3 and 1.0 J/cm 3 , respectively. Moreover, under low applied field change and at low temperatures, the PrFe 2 Si 2 and NdFe 2 Si 2 show an inverse MCE because of the existence of the AFM ordering, while under high external magnetic field change, a normal reversible MCE is observed, which is caused by first-order magnetic transition from antiferromagnetic (AFM) to ferromagnetic (FM) state.