Z. Y. Wei

Unprecedentedly Wide Curie-Temperature Windows as Phase-Transition Design Platform for Tunable Magneto-Multifunctional Materials

A series of unprecedentedly wide Curie-temperature windows (CTWs) between 40 and 450 K are realized by employing the isostructural alloying principle for the strongly coupled magnetostructural phase transitions in a single host system. The CTWs provide a design platform for magneto-multifunctional multiferroic alloys that can be manipulated in a quite large temperature space in various scales and patterns, as well as by multiple physical fields.

A coupling of martensitic and metamagnetic transitions with collective magneto-volume and table-like magnetocaloric effects

A coupling of the first-order paramagnetic-to-induced-ferromagnetic martensitic and the second-order antiferromagnetic-to-ferromagnetic metamagnetic transitions was found in MnNi0.8Fe0.2Ge alloy. Based on the coupling, a magneto-volume effect driven by the martensitic transition and a table-like magnetocaloric effect generated by the successive magnetic phase transitions arise collectively. By using the magneto-volume effect, the internal stress in the volume-expansion martensitic transition was determined at 350 MPa. The magnetocaloric effect, with a wide working temperature range of 26 K around room temperature, shows a small hysteresis loss (5 J kg−1) and a large net refrigerant capacity (157 J kg−1).

Realization of multifunctional shape-memory ferromagnets in all-d-metal Heusler phases

Heusler ferromagnetic shape-memory alloys (FSMAs) normally consist of transition-group d-metals and main-group p-elements. Here, we report the realization of FSMAs in Heusler phases that completely consist of d metals. By introducing the d-metal Ti into NiMn alloys, cubic B2-type Heusler phase is obtained and the martensitic transformation temperature is decreased efficiently. Strong ferromagnetism is established by further doping Co atoms into the B2-type antiferromagnetic Ni-Mn-Ti austenite. Based on the magnetic-field-induced martensitic transformations, collective multifunctional properties are observed in Ni(Co)-Mn-Ti alloys. The d metals not only facilitate the formation of B2-type Heusler phases but also establish strong ferromagnetic coupling and offer the possibility to tune the martensitic transformation.

High electron mobility and large magnetoresistance in the half-Heusler semimetal LuPtBi

We report on the discovery of an electron-hole-compensated half-Heusler semimetal LuPtBi that exhibits an extremely high electron mobility up to 79,000 cm2/Vs with a non-saturating positive MR as large as 3200% at 2 K. Remarkably, the mobility at 300 K is found to exceed 10,500 cm2/Vs, which is among the highest values reported in three-dimensional bulk materials thus far. From the observed Shubnikov-de Haas quantum oscillations together with the first-principles calculations, we confirm the bulk three-dimensional Fermi surface of LuPtBi having signature of Dirac-like behavior with a very small effective carrier mass, which gives rise to the extremely high electron mobility. Our work may provide a new recipe for searching high-mobility and large MR materials by designing an appropriate Fermi surface topology starting from the simple electron-hole-compensated semimetals.

Structural transitions, magnetic properties, and electronic structures of Co(Fe)-doped MnNiSi compounds

The structural transitions, magnetic properties, and electronic structures of Co(Fe)-doped MnNiSi compounds are investigated by x-ray powder diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), magnetic measurements, and first-principles calculations. Results indicate that all samples undergo a martensitic transition from the Ni2In-type parent phase to TiNiSi-type orthorhombic phase at high temperatures. The substitution of Co(Fe) for Mn in Mn1−xCoxNiSi (x = 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4) and Mn1−yFeyNiSi (y = 0.26, 0.30, 0.36, 0.46, and 0.55) samples decreases the structural transition temperature and Curie temperature of martensite. The martensite phases show a typical ferromagnetic behavior with saturation field being basically unchanged with increasing Co(Fe) content, while the saturation magnetization shows a decreasing tendency. The theoretically calculated moments are in good agreement with the experimentally measured results. The orbital hybridizations between different 3d elements are analyzed from the dist...

Structural and magnetic properties of MnCo1−xFexSi alloys

Abstract The crystal structures, martensitic structural transitions and magnetic properties of MnCo1−xFexSi (0≤x≤0.50) alloys were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and magnetic measurements. In high-temperature paramagnetic state, the alloys undergo a martensitic structural transitions from the Ni2In-type hexagonal parent phase to the TiNiSi-type orthorhombic martensite. Both the martensitic transition temperature (TM) and Curie temperatures of martensite ( T C M ) decrease with increasing Fe content. The introduced Fe atoms establish ferromagnetic (FM) coupling within Fe-6Mn atom configurations and destroy the double spiral antiferromagnetic (AFM) coupling in MnCoSi compound, resulting in a magnetic change in the martensite phase from a spiral AFM state to an FM state. For the alloys with x=0.10, 0.15 and 0.20, a metamagnetic transition was observed in between the two magnetic states. A magnetostructural phase diagram of MnCo1−xFexSi (0≤x≤0.50) alloys was proposed.

Windows open for highly tunable magnetostructural phase transitions

An attempt was made to tailor the magnetostructural transitions over a wide temperature range under the principle of isostructural alloying. A series of wide Curie-temperature windows (CTWs) with a maximal width of 377 K between 69 and 446 K were established in the Mn1−yCoyNiGe1−xSix system. Throughout the CTWs, the magnetic-field-induced metamagnetic behavior and giant magnetocaloric effects are obtained. The (Mn,Co)Ni(Ge,Si) system shows great potential as multifunctional phase-transition materials that work in a wide range covering liquid-nitrogen and above water-boiling temperatures. Moreover, general understanding of isostructural alloying and CTWs constructed in (Mn,Co)Ni(Ge,Si) as well as (Mn,Fe)Ni(Ge,Si) is provided.

Magnetostructural martensitic transformations with large volume changes and magneto-strains in all-d-metal Heusler alloys

The all-d-metal Mn2-based Heusler ferromagnetic shape memory alloys Mn50Ni40-xCoxTi10 (x = 8 and 9.5) are realized. With a generic comparison between d-metal Ti and main-group elements in lowering the transformation temperature, the magnetostructural martensitic transformations are established by further introducing Co to produce local ferromagnetic Mn-Co-Mn configurations. A 5-fold modulation and (3, -2) stacking of [00 10] of martensite are determined by XRD and HRTEM analysis. Based on the transformation, a large magneto-strain of 6900 ppm and a large volume change of -2.54% are observed in polycrystalline samples, which makes the all-d-metal magnetic martensitic alloys of interest for magnetic/pressure multi-field driven applications.

Coupled Magnetic and Structural Transitions in Fe-Doped MnNiSi Compounds

In this paper, we obtained a ferromagnetic (FM) Mn0.36Fe0.6Ni0.98Si compound in which magnetic and structural transitions are coupled together. By combining Fe doping and Mn depletion, the magnetostructural coupling was realized, with a magnetostructural transition happening at 337 K from paramagnetic hexagonal phase to FM orthorhombic phase. The magnetocaloric effect was measured across the transition, showing a wide temperature span and a zero magnetic hysteresis loss. The maximum values of magnetic entropy change and refrigeration capacity near reverse martensitic transition (~367 K) are -2.52 J kg-1 K-1 and 108 J kg-1, respectively, under a field change of ΔH = 0 ~ 50 kOe.

Structural, magnetic properties, and electronic structure of hexagonal FeCoSn compound

The structural, magnetic properties, and electronic structures of hexagonal FeCoSn compounds with as-annealed bulk and ribbon states were investigated by x-ray powder diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), magnetic measurements, and first-principles calculations. Results indicate that both states of FeCoSn show an Ni2In-type hexagonal structure with a small amount of FeCo-rich secondary phase. The Curie temperatures are located at 257 K and 229 K, respectively. The corresponding magnetizations are 2.57 μB/f.u. and 2.94 μB/f.u. at 5 K with a field of 50 kOe (1 Oe = 79.5775 A⋅m−1). The orbital hybridizations between 3d elements are analyzed from the distribution of density of states (DOS), showing that Fe atoms carry the main magnetic moments and determine the electronic structure around Fermi level. A peak of DOS at Fermi level accounts for the presence of the FeCo-rich secondary phase. The Ni2In-type hexagonal FeCoSn compound can be used during the isostructural alloying for tuning phase transitions.