Negative thermal expansion in YbMn2Ge2 induced by the dual effect of magnetism and valence transition

Negative thermal expansion (NTE) is an intriguing property, which is generally triggered by a single NTE mechanism. In this work, an enhanced NTE (αv = −32.9 × 10−6 K−1, ΔT = 175 K) is achieved in YbMn2Ge2 intermetallic compound to be caused by a dual effect of magnetism and valence transition. In YbMn2Ge2, the Mn sublattice that forms the antiferromagnetic structure induces the magnetovolume effect, which contributes to the NTE below the Néel temperature (525 K). Concomitantly, the valence state of Yb increases from 2.40 to 2.82 in the temperature range of 300–700 K, which simultaneously causes the contraction of the unit cell volume due to smaller volume of Yb3+ than that of Yb2+. As a result, such combined effect gives rise to an enhanced NTE. The present study not only sheds light on the peculiar NTE mechanism of YbMn2Ge2, but also indicates the dual effect as a possible promising method to produce enhanced NTE materials.

Direct hybridization gap from intersite and onsite electronic interactions in CeAg2Ge2

Electronic and crystal structure studies are presented to describe the role of intersite and onsite interactions for the itinerant electron magnetism in CeAg2Ge2.Magnetovolume effect and hybridization gap opening have been observed at low temperature.

Negative thermal expansion in (Sc,Ti)Fe2 induced by an unconventional magnetovolume effect

A new type of ferromagnetic-to-ferromagnetic transition induces the crossover from common positive to negative thermal expansion in (Sc,Ti)Fe2.

Магнитообъемные эффекты в сильно коррелированных фазах плутония

Thermodynamic spin fluctuations in strongly correlated plutonium (Pu) phases with exchange and spin–orbit interactions are considered. In α- and δ-Pu phases, the spin fluctuations lead to a negative magnetovolume effect that is determined by the parameter of intermode coupling and depends on features of the electron structure. It is shown that the negative volumetric thermal expansion coefficient of δ-Pu is related to an anomalously strong interaction of spin fluctuation modes.