Narrow transitional hysteresis in (Mn–Cr–Co)2Sb pnictides for room-temperature magnetic refrigeration.

Mn_1.96−xCr_xCo_0.04Sb with x  =  0.05 and 0.09 has been investigated for its magnetocaloric properties using structural, magnetization and calorimetric methods. These compounds exhibit an antiferromagnetic-ferrimagnetic transition of which the temperature can be adjusted by the Cr concentration. The transition temperature is at room temperature for x  =  0.09. Magnetocaloric properties are presented as entropy-change and direct temperature-change. We show that these compounds have a narrow transitional hysteresis and exhibit the inverse magnetocaloric effect. We find a nearly hysteresis-free transition with a 2.6 K temperature-change around 287 K making it attractive for magnetic-cooling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]