This study of nonmagnetic Zn-substitution effect on the charge-ordered behavior of Pr0.5Ca0.5Mn1-xZnxO3 (x = 0.0, 0.1) compounds reveal the weakening of strong charge-ordered antiferromagnetic state of the parent compound (x = 0.0). Magnetocaloric effect (MCE) has been calculated using a Python package from isothermal M-H data for these samples. A prominent ferromagnetic contribution in the antiferromagnetic matrix for Mn-site doping is observed, which removes the inverse MCE observed in the pristine sample below the charge ordering temperature TCO. Development of ferromagnetism in the doped system exhibits a metal-insulator transition at TMI = 90 K under 7 T magnetic field and large magnetoresistance (> 99 %), which is not observed in parent compound. Magnetic field-dependent hysteresis at low temperature reveals the ferromagnetic metastability and first-order nature of magnetic phase transition. Random occupation of Zn at the Mn-site of the parent compound disrupts 1:1 Mn3+/Mn4+ charge-ordered superstructure of the parent compound which weakens the charge-ordered antiferromagnetic strength promoting ferromagnetism and double-exchange interaction through an enhanced 2p-3d hybridization between Mn and O ions.
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