Theoretical prediction and experimental study of a ferromagnetic shape memory alloy: Ga_2MnNi

TL;DR

This paper combines theoretical predictions and experimental validation to identify Ga_2MnNi as a new ferromagnetic shape memory alloy with specific transition temperatures and volume-conserving martensitic behavior.

Contribution

The study predicts a new ferromagnetic shape memory alloy using density functional theory and confirms its properties through experimental measurements.

Findings

Ga_2MnNi is ferromagnetic at room temperature.

Martensitic start temperature (T_M) is approximately 780K.

Martensitic transition is volume conserving.

Abstract

We predict the existence of a new ferromagnetic shape memory alloy Ga_2MnNi using density functional theory. The martensitic start temperature (T_M) is found to be approximately proportional to the stabilization energy of the martensitic phase (deltaE_tot) for different shape memory alloys. Experimental studies performed to verify the theoretical results show that Ga_2MnNi is ferromagnetic at room temperature and the T_M and T_C are 780K and 330K, respectively. Both from theory and experiment, the martensitic transition is found to be volume conserving that is indicative of shape memory behavior.