Structure, Magnetic and Magnetocaloric Properties of Attempted P Substitutions in LaFe_11.5Si_1.5 Giant Magnetocaloric Material

Abstract:

Recent theoretical and experimental studies suggested that P can enter the structure of La(Fe,Si)₁₃ alloys and lead to a significant enhancement of the isothermal entropy change, one of the two main quantities characterizing the magnetocaloric effect. Here, we report a systematic study of P for Si substitutions in La(Fe,Si)₁₃ alloys. Eight LaFe_11.5Si_1.5-xP_x polycrystalline bulk samples with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.2 were prepared by arc-melting followed by heat treatment. Powder x-ray diffraction and SEM/EDX analyses show that the α-Fe secondary phase progressively increases with the increase in P substitutions and that a La-rich LaP secondary phase appears. We therefore found that P does not actually enter the main La(Fe,Si)₁₃ phase. Magnetization and DSC measurements confirm this interpretation as the Curie temperatures of La(Fe,Si,P)₁₃ alloys are nearly insensitive to P for Si substitutions and the latent heat of the first-order ferromagnetic transition decreases with the increase in nominal P substitutions. Our work put into questions former reports of the literature on P addition in La(Fe,Si)₁₃ and highlights the particularly complex synthesis of these alloys.

• Periodical: Materials Science Forum (Volume 1125)
• Pages: 21-28
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-MUpn7G
• Online since: September 2024
• Authors: Jia Yun Xue, Hargen Yibole*, Francois Guillou
• Keywords: First-Order Magnetic Transition, La(Fe,Si)₁₃ Based Alloy, Magnetocaloric Effect, Magnetocaloric Materials

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