Investigation on the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of PrNi2

Abstract

The magnetic properties of some magnetic materials are influenced by the exchange interaction between magnetic ions and the spin fluctuations of magnetic ions. By use of the exchange interaction-effective field including the spin fluctuations of magnetic ions Hm= n0(1+γ T +β eω T)M, the Zeeman splitting of crystal field energy levels of Pr3+ ions in PrNi2 and the variation of the magnetic moments with the applied field in a temperature range of 3.8 K≤ T ≤ 30 K are calculated. The thermal variation of the reciprocal susceptibility of Pr3+ ions is calculated as well for the applied magnetic field H=5000 Oe. The calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental data. The magnetic entropy changes are obtained theoretically in a magnetic field range of 0H<50000 Oe, and the results are similar to those reported in the literature. It is indicated that the exchange interaction-effective field containing the spin fluctuations is applicable not only to the ferrimagnetic crystals, but also to the paramagnets.