Magnetocaloric effect in cubic spinel Co(Cr0.95Fe0.05)2O4

Abstract

The crystal structure, magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect (MCE) of Co(Cr0.95Fe0.05)2O4 have been studied. Co(Cr0.95Fe0.05)2O4 synthesized by solid-state reaction method, crystallizes in normal cubic spinel structure with Fd-3m space group. Neutron powder diffraction (NPD) and magnetic measurements when compared to the undoped CoCr2O4, show that the compound is ferrimagnetic (FIM) and transition temperature (TC) is enhanced due to Fe substitution. Analysis of structural and magnetic properties shows the existence of two different sites of magnetic clusters due to Fe/Cr cation disorder. The competition between the moments of the two different sub-lattices gives rise to the temperature induced magnetization reversal at compensation tempearature (Tcomp) = 44 K. The magnetocaloric effect (simply the change in magnetic entropy i.e, −ΔSM) has been observed in Co(Cr0.95Fe0.05)2O4 with different applied magnetic fields (max. H = 90 kOe). We found maximum change of magnetic entropy ∼1.2 J/kg K, for a field change of 90 kOe at FIM transition temperature (TC∼110 K) with relative cooling power (RCP) of ∼13 J/kg. Moreover, the sign change of −ΔSM across the compensation temperature (Tcomp∼ 44 K) shows another phase transition across Tcomp in Co(Cr0.95Fe0.05)2O4. The values of MCE and RCP are also appreciable so as to consider Co(Cr0.95Fe0.05)2O4 as a magnetic refrigerant above liquid nitrogen temperature.