The magnetic, electrical transport and thermal transport properties of Fe-based antipervoskite compounds ZnCxFe3

The effects of carbon concentration on the crystal structure, magnetic, and electrical/thermal transport properties of ZnCxFe3 (1.0 ≤ x ≤ 1.5) have been investigated systematically. Both the Curie temperature and the saturated magnetization decrease firstly and then reach saturation with increasing x. The investigations of heat capacity and resistivity indicate that ZnC1.2Fe3 displays a strongly correlated Fermi liquid behavior considering its Kadowaki-Woods ratio (∼0.64 a0). Around the ferromagnetic-paramagnetic phase transition (∼358 K), a reversible room-temperature magnetocaloric effect is observed. The relative cooling power (RCP) is ∼164 J/kg (∼385 J/kg) with the magnetic field change ΔH = 20 kOe (45 kOe). Considering the considerable large RCP, inexpensive and innoxious raw materials, ZnC1.2Fe3 is suggested to be a promising candidate for room-temperature magnetic refrigeration. Furthermore, the studies of thermal transport properties indicate that ZnC1.2Fe3 can also be a potential thermoelectric material with the dimensionless figure of merit (ZT = α²T/ρk) reaching its maximum of 0.0112 around 170 K.