Corrosion Resistance in the Breathing Spinel AgA'Cr4Se8 Magnetocaloric Candidates
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Magnetocaloric materials, which exhibit a significant temperature change upon the application or removal of a magnetic field, are promising candidates for solid-state cooling technologies. Breathing spinels are a class of materials that experience variation in chemical bonding and adapt to two differently sized tetrahedra in the pyrochlore lattice defined by a breathing ratio. Recently, these materials have emerged as magnetocaloric candidates due to their tunable magnetic and structural properties. However, practical deployment in magnetocaloric refrigeration devices requires an in-depth understanding of their long-term stability under operational conditions, including exposure to cryogenic temperatures and high magnetic fields. This study explores the AgA'Cr4Se8 breathing spinel materials and investigates the corrosion resistance under such extreme conditions. Cryogenic corrosion testing was performed by immersing samples in liquid nitrogen to simulate prolonged exposure to low-temperature environments. Magnetic field-induced corrosion was assessed by subjecting the materials to magnetic fields of up to 1 Tesla. Post-testing characterization included X-ray diffraction (XRD) for structural integrity, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for surface morphology, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to detect elemental degradation or oxide formation. The results provided key insights into the robustness of these materials in real-world applications.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
CSM - Chemistry and Biochemistry
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Madalynn Marshalls
Corrosion Resistance in the Breathing Spinel AgA'Cr4Se8 Magnetocaloric Candidates
Magnetocaloric materials, which exhibit a significant temperature change upon the application or removal of a magnetic field, are promising candidates for solid-state cooling technologies. Breathing spinels are a class of materials that experience variation in chemical bonding and adapt to two differently sized tetrahedra in the pyrochlore lattice defined by a breathing ratio. Recently, these materials have emerged as magnetocaloric candidates due to their tunable magnetic and structural properties. However, practical deployment in magnetocaloric refrigeration devices requires an in-depth understanding of their long-term stability under operational conditions, including exposure to cryogenic temperatures and high magnetic fields. This study explores the AgA'Cr4Se8 breathing spinel materials and investigates the corrosion resistance under such extreme conditions. Cryogenic corrosion testing was performed by immersing samples in liquid nitrogen to simulate prolonged exposure to low-temperature environments. Magnetic field-induced corrosion was assessed by subjecting the materials to magnetic fields of up to 1 Tesla. Post-testing characterization included X-ray diffraction (XRD) for structural integrity, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for surface morphology, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) to detect elemental degradation or oxide formation. The results provided key insights into the robustness of these materials in real-world applications.