Prediction of Magnetocaloric Effect Induced by Continuous Modulation of Exchange Interaction: A Monte Carlo Study

A magnetic-to-thermal energy conversion, derived from the continuous modulation of intrinsic exchange energy, is conceived and studied by performing Monte Carlo simulations. On the basis of thermodynamics and Weiss’s molecular field theories, we modified the Maxwell formula, where the magnetic entropy change (∆S(M)) is calculated by integrating the temperature derivative of magnetization under a continuously increasing exchange interaction, rather than an external magnetic field, from zero to a given value. For the conventional ∆S(M) induced through increasing magnetic field, the ∆S(M) maximum value is enhanced with increasing magnetic field, while the ∆S(M) peak temperature is weakly influenced by the magnetic field. On the contrary, the ∆S(M) induced by changing the exchange interaction is proportional to the exchange interaction while suppressed by a magnetic field. Another feature is that the relative cooling power calculated from the ∆S(M) induced by changing the exchange interaction is fully independent of the magnetic field perspective for obtaining the magnetically stabilized self-converted refrigerants. The controlled variation of exchange interaction could be realized by partial substitution or the application of hydrostatic pressure to lower the cost of magnetic energy at no expense of magnetocaloric response, which opens an avenue to develop the practical and energy-saving devices of conversion from magnetic energy to thermal energy, highly extending the material species of the magnetocaloric effect.