Magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of ferromagnetic shape memory alloy Mn50Ni40In10−xSbx

• Martensitic transformation temperature gradually increases with Sb content increases.
• Magnetization process and magnetocaloric effect strongly depend on the thermal history.
• The enhanced p–d hybridization manipulates the magnetism of Mn50Ni40In10−xSbx alloys.

Magnetic properties of Mn50Ni40In10−xSbx alloys and thermal history effect on the magnetization behavior and magnetic entropy change of Mn50Ni40In9Sb1 have been systematically studied. It indicates that the martensitic transformation temperature gradually increases with the increase of Sb content. Meanwhile, the overall magnetization of austenite decreases and that of martensite increases. The magnetization behavior, the critical magnetic field for martensite-to-austenite transformation and the magnetic entropy are very sensitive to the thermal history effect. The maximum magnetic entropy change is up to 27.1 J kg−1 K−1 in Mn50Ni40In9Sb1 alloy under a magnetic field of 30 kOe with continuous heating method.