Magnetocrystalline Anisotropy and the Magnetocaloric Effect in Fe2P

TL;DR

This study investigates the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of high-purity Fe2P, revealing its moderate entropy change, strong anisotropy, and mixed magnetic behavior, with implications for heat pump applications.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of Fe2P's magnetic anisotropy and magnetocaloric effect, comparing it to related compounds to elucidate their unique properties.

Findings

Fe2P exhibits a magnetocaloric effect spanning over 70 K.

Strong magnetization anisotropy indicates mixed itinerant and localized magnetism.

Comparison with (Fe,Mn)2(P,A) compounds explains their exceptional magnetocaloric properties.

Abstract

Magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of high-purity, giant magnetocaloric polycrystalline and single-crystalline Fe2P are investigated. Fe2P displays a moderate magnetic entropy change which spans over 70 K and the presence of strong magnetization anisotropy proves this system is not fully itinerant but displays a mix of itinerant and localized magnetism. The properties of pure Fe2P are compared to those of giant magnetocaloric (Fe,Mn)2(P,A) compounds helping understand the exceptional characteristics shown by the latter which are so promising for heat pump and energy conversion applications.