Room temperature critical behavior and magnetocaloric properties of La0.6Nd0.1(CaSr)0.3Mn0.9V0.1O3

The magnetocaloric effect along magnetic phase transition and critical exponent in mixed manganite La0.6Nd0.1(CaSr)0.3Mn0.9O3 was investigated by dc magnetization measurements. Magnetic data indicate that the compound exhibit a continuous (second-order) paramagnetic (PM) to ferromagnetic (FM) phase transition. From the derived values of the critical exponents (β=0.385(1) and γ=1.481(3)), we conclude that La0.6Nd0.1(CaSr)0.3Mn0.9V0.1O3 belongs to the three-dimensional Heisenberg class with short-range interaction. The maximum magnetic entropy (−ΔSM) and the relative cooling power (RCP) were found to be respectively, 4.266 J/kg K and 205.35 J/kg for a 5 T field change, making of this material a promising candidate for magnetic refrigeration near room temperature. From the field dependence of RCP and ΔSM, it was possible to evaluate the critical exponents of the magnetic phase transitions. Their values are in good agreement with those obtained from the critical exponents using a modified Arrott method.