Neutron Scattering as a Powerful Tool to Investigate Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys: A Review

Magnetic shape memory alloys (MSMAs) are an interesting class of smart materials characterized by undergoing macroscopic deformations upon the application of a pertinent stimulus: temperature, stress and/or external magnetic fields. Since the deformation is rapid and contactless, these materials are...

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Main Authors: Natalia A. Río-López, Patricia Lázpita, Daniel Salazar, Viktor I. Petrenko, Fernando Plazaola, Volodymyr Chernenko, Jose M. Porro
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-05-01
Series:Metals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/11/5/829
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author Natalia A. Río-López
Patricia Lázpita
Daniel Salazar
Viktor I. Petrenko
Fernando Plazaola
Volodymyr Chernenko
Jose M. Porro
author_facet Natalia A. Río-López
Patricia Lázpita
Daniel Salazar
Viktor I. Petrenko
Fernando Plazaola
Volodymyr Chernenko
Jose M. Porro
author_sort Natalia A. Río-López
collection DOAJ
description Magnetic shape memory alloys (MSMAs) are an interesting class of smart materials characterized by undergoing macroscopic deformations upon the application of a pertinent stimulus: temperature, stress and/or external magnetic fields. Since the deformation is rapid and contactless, these materials are being extensively investigated for a plethora of applications, such as sensors and actuators for the medical, automotive and space industries, energy harvesting and damping devices, among others. These materials also exhibit a giant magnetocaloric effect, whereby they are very promising for magnetic refrigeration. The applications in which they can be used are extremely dependent on the material properties, which are, in turn, greatly conditioned by the structure, atomic ordering and magnetism of a material. Particularly, exploring the material structure is essential in order to push forward the current application limitations of the MSMAs. Among the wide range of available characterization tools, neutron scattering techniques stand out in acquiring advanced knowledge about the structure and magnetism of these alloys. Throughout this manuscript, a comprehensive review about the characterization of MSMAs using neutron techniques is presented. Several elastic neutron scattering techniques will be explained and exemplified, covering neutron imaging techniques—such as radiography, tomography and texture diffractometry; diffraction techniques—magnetic (polarized neutron) diffraction, powder neutron diffraction and single crystal neutron diffraction, reflectometry and small angle neutron scattering. This will be complemented with a few examples where inelastic neutron scattering has been employed to obtain information about the phonon dispersion in MSMAs.
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spelling doaj.art-b222a243a3194d1aaab88e924ca81c982023-11-21T20:19:46ZengMDPI AGMetals2075-47012021-05-0111582910.3390/met11050829Neutron Scattering as a Powerful Tool to Investigate Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys: A ReviewNatalia A. Río-López0Patricia Lázpita1Daniel Salazar2Viktor I. Petrenko3Fernando Plazaola4Volodymyr Chernenko5Jose M. Porro6BCMaterials, Basque Center for Materials, Applications & Nanostructures, 48940 Leioa, SpainBCMaterials, Basque Center for Materials, Applications & Nanostructures, 48940 Leioa, SpainBCMaterials, Basque Center for Materials, Applications & Nanostructures, 48940 Leioa, SpainBCMaterials, Basque Center for Materials, Applications & Nanostructures, 48940 Leioa, SpainDepartment of Electricity and Electronics, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Basque Country, 48080 Bilbao, SpainBCMaterials, Basque Center for Materials, Applications & Nanostructures, 48940 Leioa, SpainBCMaterials, Basque Center for Materials, Applications & Nanostructures, 48940 Leioa, SpainMagnetic shape memory alloys (MSMAs) are an interesting class of smart materials characterized by undergoing macroscopic deformations upon the application of a pertinent stimulus: temperature, stress and/or external magnetic fields. Since the deformation is rapid and contactless, these materials are being extensively investigated for a plethora of applications, such as sensors and actuators for the medical, automotive and space industries, energy harvesting and damping devices, among others. These materials also exhibit a giant magnetocaloric effect, whereby they are very promising for magnetic refrigeration. The applications in which they can be used are extremely dependent on the material properties, which are, in turn, greatly conditioned by the structure, atomic ordering and magnetism of a material. Particularly, exploring the material structure is essential in order to push forward the current application limitations of the MSMAs. Among the wide range of available characterization tools, neutron scattering techniques stand out in acquiring advanced knowledge about the structure and magnetism of these alloys. Throughout this manuscript, a comprehensive review about the characterization of MSMAs using neutron techniques is presented. Several elastic neutron scattering techniques will be explained and exemplified, covering neutron imaging techniques—such as radiography, tomography and texture diffractometry; diffraction techniques—magnetic (polarized neutron) diffraction, powder neutron diffraction and single crystal neutron diffraction, reflectometry and small angle neutron scattering. This will be complemented with a few examples where inelastic neutron scattering has been employed to obtain information about the phonon dispersion in MSMAs.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/11/5/829magnetic shape memory alloysneutron scatteringHeusler alloys
spellingShingle Natalia A. Río-López
Patricia Lázpita
Daniel Salazar
Viktor I. Petrenko
Fernando Plazaola
Volodymyr Chernenko
Jose M. Porro
Neutron Scattering as a Powerful Tool to Investigate Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys: A Review
Metals
magnetic shape memory alloys
neutron scattering
Heusler alloys
title Neutron Scattering as a Powerful Tool to Investigate Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys: A Review
title_full Neutron Scattering as a Powerful Tool to Investigate Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys: A Review
title_fullStr Neutron Scattering as a Powerful Tool to Investigate Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys: A Review
title_full_unstemmed Neutron Scattering as a Powerful Tool to Investigate Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys: A Review
title_short Neutron Scattering as a Powerful Tool to Investigate Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys: A Review
title_sort neutron scattering as a powerful tool to investigate magnetic shape memory alloys a review
topic magnetic shape memory alloys
neutron scattering
Heusler alloys
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/11/5/829
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