Electronic transport and extra large magnetoresistance in LCBMO/Pdx composites

Two-phase composites LCBMO/Pdx were synthesized using the sol-gel technique followed by the solid-state reaction. Pd addition induces a remarkable decrease in resistivity, which is mainly related to the improvement of grain boundaries/surfaces caused by the segregation of Pd. The resistivity data for all samples follow the adiabatic small-polaron-hopping model at high temperature above the Curie temperature TC, while in the low temperature region, they are proportional to T2, reflecting that the electron-electron scattering mechanism is dominant in the ferromagnetic metallic state. In addition, Pd addition induces a large enhancement of room temperature magnetoresistance (MR). Especially for the x = 0.27 sample, an extra large magnetoresistance over 170% is obtained at 10 kOe and 289 K. This is the largest MR obtained at room temperature in all kinds of colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) materials. The good conductivity and polarizing effect of Pd are responsible for the enhancement of MR. The former leads to the decrease in resistivity and the latter induces a large number of spin clusters