Journal of Alloys and Compounds
Polycrystalline Nd(Mn(1-x)Fe(x))(2)Ge(2) (0 <= x <= 1) compounds have been prepared by arc-melting. X-ray powder diffraction analysis shows that all samples crystallize in the ThCr(2)Si(2)-type structure with the space group 14/mmm. The substitution of Fe for Mn results in decreases of the lattice constants a, c and the unit-cell volume V. Magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect of the compounds Nd(Mn(0.9)Fe(0.1))(2)Ge(2) and Nd(Mn(0.8)Fe(0.2))(2)Ge(2) have been studied by magnetic measurements. A spin reorientation transition at about 188 K is observed for Nd(Mn(0.9)Fe(0.1))(2)Ge(2). The Nd(Mn(0.8)Fe(0.2))(2)Ge(2) compound shows more complicated magnetic behavior, which is characterized by four magnetic ordering states below room temperature. The maximum values of the magnetic entropy change are 2.35 and 1.84 J kg(-1) K(-1) for x = 0.1 and 0.2, respectively, under the applied field changing from 0 to 5T. The relative cooling powers of Nd(Mn(0.9)Fe(0.1))(2)Ge(2) and Nd(Mn(0.8)Fe(0.2))(2)Ge(2) are 145.9 and 133.8 J kg(-1) under an applied field change of 5T. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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Metals and alloys;Magnetocaloric;X-ray diffraction;room-temperature applications;neutron-diffraction;phase-transitions;crystal-structure;solid-solution;refrigeration;silicides;mn;0-less-than-or-equal-to-x-less-than-or-equal-to-1;mnas1-xsbx
