Magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of nanocrystalline Pr(1-x)A(x)Mn(1-y)Co(y)O3 (A = Ca, Sr) (x = 0.3; y = 0.5) manganites.

Structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of sol-gel prepared, nanocrystalline oxides Pr(1-x)A(x)Mn(1-y)Co(y)O3 (A = Ca, Sr) (x = 0.3; y = 0.5) (cubic, space group Fm3m) have been studied. From the X-ray data, the crystallite size of Pro.7Ca0.3Mn0.5Co0,503 and Pr0.7Sr0.3Mn0.5Co0.5O3 samples is found to be approximately 24 nm and approximately15 nm respectively. High resolution transmission electron microscopy image shows average particle size of approximately 34 nm and approximately 20 nm. Magnetization measurements indicate a Curie temperature of approximately 153 K and approximately172 K in applied magnetic field of 100 Oe for Pr0.7Ca0.3Mn0.5Co0.5O3 and Pr0.7Sr0.3Mn0.5Co0.O3 compounds. The magnetization versus applied magnetic field curves obtained at temperatures below 150 K show significant hysteresis and magnetization is not saturated even in a field of 7 T. The magnetocaloric effect is calculated from M versus H data obtained at various temperatures. Magnetic entropy change shows a maximum near T(c) for both the samples and is of the order approximately 2.5 J/kg/K.