TY - JOUR
T1 - Competing magnetic interactions, structure and magnetocaloric effect in Mn3Sn1-xZnxC antiperovskite carbides
AU - Kiecana, A.
AU - Schaefers, W.
AU - Thijs, M.
AU - Dankelman, R.
AU - Ojiyed, H.
AU - Batashev, I.
AU - Zhang, F.
AU - van Dijk, N. H.
AU - Brück, E.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Mn3Sn1-xZnxC antiperovskite carbides have been studied. With increasing Zn content the first-order magnetic transition (FOMT) is weakened. The Curie temperature (TC) reduces first from 273 to 197 K and when x > 0.3, TC increases, reaching its maximum of 430 K for x = 1.0. An increase in TC is accompanied by pronounced changes in magnetic behaviour and a significant rise in magnetization from 21.82(4) to 76.2(2) Am2kg−1 for x = 0.8 in the maximum applied magnetic field of 5 T. Neutron powder diffraction (NPD) was employed to study the magnetic structure of Mn3Sn1-xZnxC compounds. The refinement of the NPD data for x = 0.3 revealed a magnetic structure with propagation vector k = (½,½,0) with a decrease in the canted antiferromagnetic (AFM) moment, which results in a reduction of the negative volume change at the magnetic transition and a decrease in the magnetocaloric effect (MCE). For x = 0.4, the magnetic structure is described by a propagation vector k = (½,½,½) for the AFM moment which dominates at low temperature, with the presence of a minor ferromagnetic (FM) component with a k = (0, 0, 0) propagation vector, which confirms the presence of the ferrimagnetic (FiM) state. For a higher Zn content (x = 0.6), the magnetic moment originates mainly from the FM component found on three independent Mn positions and an additional AFM moment oriented in the a-b plane. The results presented confirm the presence of competing AFM-FM interactions in Mn3Sn1-xZnxC antiperovskite carbides.
AB - Structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Mn3Sn1-xZnxC antiperovskite carbides have been studied. With increasing Zn content the first-order magnetic transition (FOMT) is weakened. The Curie temperature (TC) reduces first from 273 to 197 K and when x > 0.3, TC increases, reaching its maximum of 430 K for x = 1.0. An increase in TC is accompanied by pronounced changes in magnetic behaviour and a significant rise in magnetization from 21.82(4) to 76.2(2) Am2kg−1 for x = 0.8 in the maximum applied magnetic field of 5 T. Neutron powder diffraction (NPD) was employed to study the magnetic structure of Mn3Sn1-xZnxC compounds. The refinement of the NPD data for x = 0.3 revealed a magnetic structure with propagation vector k = (½,½,0) with a decrease in the canted antiferromagnetic (AFM) moment, which results in a reduction of the negative volume change at the magnetic transition and a decrease in the magnetocaloric effect (MCE). For x = 0.4, the magnetic structure is described by a propagation vector k = (½,½,½) for the AFM moment which dominates at low temperature, with the presence of a minor ferromagnetic (FM) component with a k = (0, 0, 0) propagation vector, which confirms the presence of the ferrimagnetic (FiM) state. For a higher Zn content (x = 0.6), the magnetic moment originates mainly from the FM component found on three independent Mn positions and an additional AFM moment oriented in the a-b plane. The results presented confirm the presence of competing AFM-FM interactions in Mn3Sn1-xZnxC antiperovskite carbides.
KW - Antiperovskites
KW - Magnetic properties
KW - Magnetocaloric materials
KW - MnSnC
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85156273179&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jmmm.2023.170782
DO - 10.1016/j.jmmm.2023.170782
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85156273179
SN - 0304-8853
VL - 577
JO - Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials
JF - Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials
M1 - 170782
ER -