Structural, Optical, Magnetic, and Magnetocaloric Properties of Sn2Mn2O7 Pyrochlore

Abstract

A new pyrochlore compound Sn2Mn2O7 has been synthesized to investigate its structural, optical, magnetic, and magnetocaloric properties. The refinement of the structure by Le Bail fitting reveals that the compound crystallizes into a monoclinic structure with P2/m space group. The reflectance spectrum has been recorded on a UV–vis spectrometer between the 200 and 800 nm wavelength range. The optical bandgap of the compound is found to be ≈3.06 eV. The skin depth, refractive index, extinction coefficient, and optical conductivity have also been computed. A magnetic transition has been observed at TC≈41 K in the magnetization versus temperature behavior. Arrott's plot confirms a second‐order magnetic phase transition, which is also established by the scaling analysis of magnetic entropy change. On the application of a 5 T magnetic field, the compound shows a maximum magnetic entropy change of 2.94 J kg−1 K−1 at a temperature ≈41 K with a relative cooling power of 41 J kg−1. The maximum magnetic entropy change values are higher than that reported for the Fe2Mn2O7 and smaller than for Al2Mn2O7 compound.