Magnetocaloric effect and critical behaviour in Mn2–pyridazine–[Nb(CN)8] molecular compound under pressure

A comprehensive study of magnetocaloric effect (MCE) and critical behaviour in the ferrimagnetic Mn2–pyridazine–[Nb(CN)8] molecular magnet under hydrostatic pressure is reported. The pressure-induced structural changes provoke the strengthening of magnetic interaction between Mn and Nb centres. Consequently, an increase of critical temperature Tc is observed from 43 K for a sample at ambient pressure (A) to 52.5 K for a sample under a pressure of 1.19 GPa (AHP). The magnetocaloric effect was determined by the magnetization measurements. The application of a hydrostatic pressure of 1.19 GPa causes a decrease in the maximum value of magnetic entropy change ΔS, which for AHP is equal to 4.63 J mol−1 K−1 (7.73 J kg−1 K−1) at μ0ΔH = 5 T, while for A it is 5.36 J mol−1 K−1 (8.95 J kg−1 K−1) for the same magnetic field change. The temperature-dependent parameter n obtained for AHP, describing the field dependence of MCE, is consistent with other critical exponents determined from magnetization measurements. The critical exponents allow us to classify AHP to the 3D Heisenberg universality class, similar to the case of the non-pressurized sample. (paper)