Eur. Phys. J. B 64, 19-25 (2008)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2008-00268-8

Thermomagnetic history effects across the first order magneto-structural transition in the giant magnetocaloric Fe-Rh alloy

Magnetic and Superconducting Materials Section, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore, 452013, India

Corresponding author: ^a megh@cat.ernet.in

Received: 25 February 2008
Revised: 2 May 2008
Published online: 9 July 2008

Abstract

Results of ac susceptibility and isofield and isothermal magnetization measurements on a polycrystalline Fe-Rh alloy are presented across the first order magneto-structural transition. Interesting thermomagnetic history effects are observed, including the one in which the virgin magnetization curve lies outside the envelope curve in an isothermal field variation of magnetization. These thermomagnetic history effects are interpreted in terms of a disorder influenced first order phase transition and associated features like phase coexistence and metastability, without invoking the idea of a kinetic arrest of the transition. The importance of understanding these history effects is highlighted in the context of repeatable functional properties of Fe-Rh alloy.