Solution-combustion synthesis of La0.65Sr0.35MnO3 and the magnetocaloric properties

The polycrystalline sample of strontium-doped lanthanum manganite (LSMO) has been synthesized by the solution-combustion method using polyvinyl alcohol as a fuel and magnetocalorific effect in this material is explored. The freshly prepared solution of lanthanum nitrate, strontium nitrate and manganese nitrate was mixed thoroughly and an appropriate amount of fuel was added into the mixture. Thermogravimetric analysis on the as-prepared powder shows phase formation starts at 575 °C. From the X-ray diffraction study it is revealed that the crystal structure of LSMO is monoclinic without any other impurity phases. The microstructural investigation presents the growth of material with a grain size in nanometer range. The magnetization as a function of temperature and field for the sample was measured. The change in entropy ΔSM is found to be 0.425 J/kg K near the Curie temperature of 295 K at 1.5 T.