Two La0.5Ag0.1Ca0.4MnO3 Manganite Nanoparticles Synthesized via Sol-Gel and Solid-State Methods-Structural, Magnetic, and Magnetocaloric Properties

La0.5Ag0.1Ca0.4MnO3 manganite nanoparticles are synthesized via two different ways, namely, a solid-state reaction (S1) and the sol-gel process (S2). Their structural, magnetic, and magnetocaloric properties are reported. The powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and Rietveld refinement analyses confirm fully crystalline single-phase orthorhombic nanoparticles, even with different conditions of synthetic processes. Moreover, considering the magnetic phase transition of both samples through Banerjee's criterion revealed a second-order paramagnetic-ferromagnetic phase transition. The influence of elaboration process on magnetic and magnetocaloric behaviors has been investigated. The solid-state sample exhibits a lower magnetic entropy change (Delta S-M) value in comparison to that obtained by sol-gel reaction. Besides, the effect of magnetoelastic coupling and electron interaction in magnetocaloric properties was evidenced via Landau theory.