2011/09/09 by Nguyen H. Dung, N. H. Dung, Z. Q. Ou +11 · 4 citations
Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Condensed Matter Physics #Condensed matter physics #Coupling (piping) #Curie temperature #Ferromagnetism #Magnetic and transport properties of perovskites and related materials #Magnetic field #Magnetic moment #Magnetic refrigeration #Magnetism #Magnetization #Materials science #Metallurgy #Physics #Shape Memory Alloy Transformations #cond-mat.mtrl-sci #cond-mat.str-el
paper · pdf · doi:10.1002/aenm.201100252
published as Advanced Energy Materials 1, 1215 (2011) · 6 pages, 6 figures
openalex publication_date 2011/09/09 · arxiv created 2012/05/28 · arxiv updated 2012/06/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
Abstract The efficient coupling between lattice degrees of freedom and spin degrees of freedom in magnetic materials can be used for refrigeration and energy conversion. This coupling is enhanced in materials exhibiting the giant magnetocaloric effect. First principle electronic structure calculations on hexagonal MnFe(P, Si) reveal a new form of magnetism: the coexistence of strong and weak magnetism in alternate atomic layers. The weak magnetism of Fe layers (disappearance of local magnetic moments at the Curie temperature) is responsible for a strong coupling with the crystal lattice while the strong magnetism in adjacent Mn‐layers ensures Curie temperatures high enough to enable operation at and above room temperature. Varying the composition on these magnetic sublattices gives a handle to tune the working temperature and to achieve a strong reduction of the undesired thermal hysteresis. In this way we design novel materials based on abundantly available elements with properties matched to the requirements of an efficient refrigeration or energy‐conversion cycle.