Magnetocaloric properties and analysis of the critical point exponents of Pr0.55CaxSr0.45-xMnO3 (x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.2) at PM-FM phase transition

Abstract

The polycrystalline manganite Pr0.55CaxSr0.45-xMnO3 (x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2) has been prepared by the solid state reaction technique to investigate its crystal structure, magnetic, and magnetocaloric properties. Critical behaviour around PM-FM phase transition has also been analyzed through various methods including modified Arrott plots (MAP), and critical isotherm analysis of Pr0.55CaxSr0.45-xMnO3 (x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2). XRD analysis reveals that all the samples are found to be crystallized in the orthorhombic system with Pnma space group and lattice parameters a, b and c as well as the cell volume are found to decrease with increasing Ca (x) content. Microstructure is observed with the field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) photograph and elemental compositions are determined by energy dispersive X-ray diffractometer (EDX). Temperature and field dependent magnetization measurement disclose that all the samples undergo second-order FM to PM phase transition but the Curie temperature (TC) value decreases from 290 K to 245 K with the increase in Ca (x) content from 0.00 to 0.20. The magnetocaloric effect (MCE) in terms of maximum entropy change, (-ΔSm)max and relative cooling power (RCP) was calculated from isothermal magnetization measurements around TC, using Maxwell’s thermodynamic relations. Both (−ΔSm)max and RCP increases with increasing Ca content suggests the suitability of this compound as a potential solid state refrigerent. Contribution of itinerant electron in the entropy change is found from modulating MCE with Landau theory of phase transition.