Magnetocaloric properties of La0.6Sr0.4MnO3 prepared by solid state reaction method

Abstract

La0.6Sr0.4MnO3 composition was prepared by solid state reaction method. The structural, magnetic, and magnetocaloric properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and DC magnetization measurement. X-ray diffraction showed polycrystalline was in a rhombohedral (R-3c) structure and the SEM image as well as FT-IR spectroscopy indicated the formation of the perovskite structure. The magnetization measurement versus field at various temperatures demonstrated the second-order phase transition from the ferromagnetic to paramagnetic phase at around 361k. The magnetocaloric effect (MCE) study on La0.6Sr0.4MnO3 compound with micrometer scale showed that the maximum entropy change, ΔSMmax, was obtained near the PM-FM transition (361k) equal to 2.47 (J Kg−1 K−1). These results make this material a proper candidate in the magnetic refrigerator application above room temperature at moderate fields.