Phase separation and magnetocaloric effect in Pr0.5−xGdx Sr0.5MnO3 system

•Gd doping in Pr0.5−xGdxSr0.5MnO3 (with x = 0, 0.05 and 0.1) enhances the antiferromagnetic interactions.•The studied samples are characterized by the phase separation phenomenon.•Magnetic properties are in agreement with electrical results.

The magnetic properties and the magnetocaloric effect have been studied in Pr0.5−xGdxSr0.5MnO3 (x = 0, 0.05 and 0.1) manganites prepared by the solid state reaction method. Magnetic measurements versus temperature in an applied magnetic field of 0.05 T show that the all samples exhibit a paramagnetic to ferromagnetic transition when temperature decreases. The x = 0.1 sample shows a clear transition, from the ferromagnetic state to the antiferromagnetic one at TN = 125 K. The Curie temperature decreases gradually with increasing gadolinium content. The absolute values of the maximum of magnetic entropy change |ΔSM| for an applied magnetic field of 2 T are equal to1.26, 1.25 and 1.02 J kg−1 K−1 for x = 0, 0.05 and 0.1, respectively. The decrease of |ΔSM| with Gd doping can be attributed to the enhancement of phase separation phenomenon. The magnetic entropy curves follow the universal law corresponding to the second-ordered paramagnetic-ferromagnetic transition.