Magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Ni43Mn46−xAlxIn11 (x = 0, 0.5 and 1.0)

Structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of arc-melted polycrystalline Ni43Mn46−xAlxIn11 (x = 0, 0.5 and 1.0) alloys have been investigated by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscope and magnetic measurements. It is found that all investigated alloys undergo a first-order structural phase transition from austenite (cubic) to martensite (tetragonal) structure on cooling. According to temperature dependent magnetization measurements, the martensitic and magnetic phase transition temperatures decrease by substituting small amounts of Al for Mn in Ni43Mn46In11 alloy. Inverse magnetic entropy changes and relative cooling power (RCP) values are found 5.10, 9.63, 11.42 J kg−1 K−1 and 57.4, 60.67, 65.04 J kg−1 for x = 0, 0.5 and 1.0 alloys for a magnetic field change of 2 T, respectively.