Simulation of Magnetocaloric Effect in La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 Ceramics Fabricated by Fast Sintering Process

The enhanced low-field magnetocaloric effect (MCE) is simulated for La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 (LCMO) ceramics that were fabricated by fast sintering process with different Al2O3 contents. It is shown that LCMO exhibits magnetic entropy change (Delta S (M) ) much more uniform than that of gadolinium. The results show that the peak in the MCE at the ferromagnetic to paramagnetic phase transition is improved as the sintering temperature decreases. Furthermore, the samples open up a new way in which to tune the intrinsic properties of mixed-valence manganites. Through these results, LCMO has some potential applications for magnetic refrigerants in an extended high-temperature range. It is suggested that the fast sintering process with different Al2O3 contents for LCMO is an efficient way to obtain a working material of an apparatus based on the active magnetic regenerator cycle that cools hydrogen gas.