NiMn-based Heusler magnetic shape memory alloys: a review

Abstract

The use of magnetic shape memory alloys (MSMAs) in manufacturing industry has increased significantly in recent years. This is mainly due to their great interest in their potential applications in smart devices, because of the reversible distortions suffered. The well-known example of these combinations is the Heusler type. A review is given of experimental works concerning the examination of magnetic field, structural phase transitions, and the magnetocaloric impact in Heusler Ni–Mn–X (X = In, Sn, Sb) and Ni–Co–Mn–Y (Y = In, Sn, Sb) alloys. This type of compounds has excellent properties, for example, the presence of coupled magnetostructural (coincident magnetic and martensitic transitions) and metamagnetostructural phase transitions (coincident metamagnetic (ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic) and martensitic transitions), the magnetocaloric impact (MC), and the large magnetoresistance change (MR). The conceivable difficulties and remaining problems are briefly discussed.