Tailoring the Magnetic Properties and Magnetocaloric Effect in Double Perovskites Sr2FeMo1–xNbxO6

The crystal structure, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of the Sr2FeMo1-xNbxO6 (0 <= x <= 0.3) samples prepared by solid state reaction method were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and magnetic measurements. The room temperature XRD profiles obtained for all the samples revealed the formation of the double perovskite tetragonal structure with I4/mmm symmetry. Maximum values of spontaneous magnetization (17.6 emu/g at 150 K) and Curie temperature, T-C (380 K) were observed in the Sr2FeMo0.9Nb0.1O6 sample indicating that low Niobium (Nb) substitution (x = 0.1) at the Mo site in the host material resulted in higher magnetization and T-C. Lower values of magnetization and T-C were recorded in the samples with higher Nb concentration (x = 0.2, 0.3) that was attributed to the decrease in orbital hybridization and increase in anti-site disorder resulting from heavy doping. A second order of the magnetic phase transition in each sample was confirmed by the magnetization measurements and Arrott plots. The maximum magnetic entropy change and relative cooling power (RCP) were enhanced in lowest Nb doped sample (x = 0.1) suggesting that this compound can be used in magnetic refrigeration technology.