Effect of praseodymium doping on the structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Sm0.55−xPrxSr0.45MnO3 (0.1⩽x⩽0.4) manganites

Magnetization evolution vs temperature for Sm0.55−xPrxSr0.45MnO3 (0.1⩽x⩽0.4) compounds upon warming and cooling in a magnetic field of 1T. [Display omitted] •Sm0.55−xPrxSr0.45MnO3 are synthesized using the ceramic method at high temperatures.•Pr doping increases TC from 132K (x=0.1) to 261K (x=0.4).•Thermal hysteresis gradually decreases and becomes negligible for x=0.4.•ΔSM spread over large temperature range with Pr doping. The effect of praseodymium doping on the microstructure, magnetic and magnetocaloric effects in Sm0.55−xPrxSr0.45MnO3 (0.1⩽x⩽0.4) manganite compounds has been investigated. All the samples have been elaborated using the conventional solid-state reaction at high temperature. X-ray diffraction study reveals that all the samples crystallize in the distorted orthorhombic system with Pbnm space group. The lattice parameters and unit cell volume increase gradually with increasing Pr amount. The Curie temperature TC increases with praseodymium content from 132K for x=0.1 to 261K for x=0.4. The maximum magnetic entropy change -ΔSMmax was calculated from isothermal magnetization curves under magnetic field change of 5T and is found to be 7.14; 5.23; 4.92 and 3.98J/kgK for x=0.1; 0.2; 0.3 and 0.4, respectively. The relative cooling power (RCP) reaches 240J/kg for x=0.4 with negligible hysteretic losses. This suggests that our compounds may be suitable for applications in magnetic refrigeration.