Effect of Zn on magnetic and magnetocaloric properties in (0.75)La0.62Nd0.05Ba0·33MnO3/(0.25)Ni1-Zn Fe2O4 composites

In this work, we report the effect of Zn concentration on structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of (0.75)La0.62Nd0.05Ba0·33MnO3/(0.25)Ni1-xZnxFe2O4 (x = 0.5, 0.6 and 0.7) nanocomposites. The samples with different compositions were synthesized by co-precipitation process. The XRD analysis confirms the presence of both phases namely perovskite La0.62Nd0.05Ba0·33MnO3 and spinel NiZnFe2O4 and further proved by TEM analysis. Room Mössbauer measurements get insights information about the effect of Zn content in the hyperfine parameters and magnetic transition. Magnetic measurements M(T) reveal the presence of a magnetic transition from paramagnetic (PM) to ferromagnetic (FM) phase in the vicinity of Curie temperature. With decreasing Zn concentration, the Curie temperature increases as well as the maximum entropy change.