Heat capacity and magnetocaloric properties of La1 − x K x MnO3 manganites

Abstract

The magnetocaloric effect and the heat capacity of La1 − x K x MnO3 (x = 0.1, 0.15, 0.175) ceramic samples have been studied at temperatures in the range 77–350 K and in magnetic fields of up to 27 kOe. The technique for preparing the samples has been described. The heat capacity anomalies related to the ferromagnetic-paramagnetic magnetic phase transition have been revealed and interpreted. It has been demonstrated that the change in the magnetic entropy ΔS calculated from the data on the heat capacity C p and direct measurements of the magnetocaloric effect ΔT reaches values that are of practical interest.