An investigation of magnetocaloric effect and its implementation in critical behavior study of La1−xNdxMn2Si2 compounds

•Inverse and conventional MCE observed.•The mean-field model describes the critical properties in La0.65Nd0.35Mn2Si2.•AF component influences the critical exponents.•Fewer dominant antiferromagnetic case, better follows the scaling theory.

The magnetic properties of La1−xNdxMn2Si2 (x = 0.30–0.45) compounds are studied over the temperature range 5 K ≤ T ≤ 375 K. We report inverse and conventional magnetic entropy change values of La1−xNdxMn2Si2 (x = 0.35 and 0.40) compounds over the temperature range 5 ≤ T ≤ 375 K. In addition, we study critical behavior of La1−xNdxMn2Si2 (x = 0.35 and 0.40) compounds around their Curie temperatures. The field dependence of the magnetic entropy change is brought out and implemented to deduce the critical exponents. The critical behavior study shows that the magnetic interactions for the x = 0.35 sample have the same behavior below and above TC. However, for the x = 0.40 sample has different behavior below and above TC. Thus, the x = 0.40 sample behaves as a multiphase compound.

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