INVESTIGATING LiFe₆Ge₆ AND Cu_1–yFe_2–xMn_x+yGe₂ AS POTENTIAL ITINERANT MAGNETS

Elizabeth Ventrella, Zachary P. Tener, Mykola Abramchuk, Michael Shatruk

Department of Chemistry, Florida State University, Tallahassee Florida 32306, USA

Clean and efficient energy-conversion systems for large-scale and residential use could reduce the detrimental impacts of fossil fuel consumption on the environment. The magnetocaloric effect (MCE) holds the potential to move refrigerators from conventional vapor-compression cycles to energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly magnet-based refrigeration technology. The MCE is a temperature change of a material based on the application or removal of an external magnetic field. The major goal of our research is to discover materials that exhibit large MCE and contain nontoxic and abundant elements. The search for these materials is being guided by both computational efforts and extensive analysis of existing materials and modifications that can improve their properties. In this contribution, we report our investigation of CuFe₂Ge₂, Cu_0.6Mn_2.4Ge₂, and LiFe₆Ge₆ as potential itinerant magnets and magnetocaloric materials. Synthesized samples have been analyzed by  electronic structure calculations, powder X-ray diffraction, and magnetic measurements.