Scaling analysis of the magnetocaloric effect in Co/Au nanoparticles

The system of superparamagnetic Co/Au bimetallic nanoparticles of average diameter 7 nm was investigated with respect to its magnetocaloric properties. DC magnetic measurements revealed the presence of field dependent zero field cooled M(T) maximum (6-8 K) and significant zero field cooled/field cooled irreversibility at low temperatures in the system. Documented thermal hysteresis disallow standard magnetic entropy change calculation from isothermal M(H) data, thus we attempted to employ zero field cooled M(T) data for this purpose. Magnetic entropy change was calculated employing the Maxwell relation. In maximal field variation of 1 T relative high magnetic entropy change for nanoparticles Δ S_M ≈ 0.7 J/(kg K) at T =9 K was observed. The data collapsed onto single universal curve after proper axis rescaling.