Estudo das propriedades magnéticas e magnetocalóricas nos compostos RPtGa (R = Dy, Ho e Er) e HoTSi (T = Mn, Co e Cu)

Abstract

Magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of RPtGa (R = Dy, Ho e Er) and HoTSi (T = Mn, Co e Cu) compound have been studied. The samples crystallographic phase was confirmed by X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement analysis. Magnetization analysis show that RPtGa compounds exhibit antiferromagnetic ordering, with Néel temperature (TN) around 15 K, 6,3 K and 4 K for R = Dy, Ho and Er, respectively. HoMnSi and HoCuSi compounds present antiferromagnetic ordering at TN = 15 K and 7 K, respectively, while HoCoSi shows ferromagnetic ordering around 15 K. The external magnetic field application induces metamagnetic transitions in these materials (except for HoCuSi) below TN. However, the magnetic moment at T = 2 K and H = 50 kOe is smaller than the respective effective magnetic moment values in the metallic matrix (μeff), indicating that not all spins are aligned with external applied field. A large peak in the isothermal entropy change (- SM) curves, associated with the magnetic transition, is observed for all studied compounds. Negative magnetocaloric effect (MCE) was observed for RPtGa and HoMnSi samples due to antiferromagnetic ordering. Significant values of -ΔSM and adiabatic temperature change (ΔTad) were obtained in a relatively large temperature range (~15 K) for HoPtGa compound, evidencing a table like behavior. The maximum values of -ΔSM and the relative cooling power (RCP) obtained were 20.4 J/kgK and 475.14 J/kg for HoCoSi, and 31.2 J/kgK and 592.18 J/kg for HoCuSi, respectively, at H = 50 kOe, which suggest that these compounds belongs to a magnetic materials class with giant MCE. The RPtGa maximum values of Tad obtained in this work were comparable or even bigger than the respective values reported in literature for others RTX compounds, in the same temperature range. Furthermore, the observed magnetocaloric properties such as table like behavior and giant MCE without hysteresis losses, indicate that the compounds studies in this works present interesting magnetocaloric properties for application as refrigerant material in cryogenic temperatures (T < 20 K).