Unique instruments
Advanced commercial instruments and unique home-built setups along with the customised software are used for characterisation and testing of the newly developed materials. Precise measurements of different physical properties are available in a wide temperature range and in magnetic fields up to 14 T, as well as under applied uniaxial stress and hydrostatic pressure. These methods and techniques are crucial for the intermediate steps towards the novel multi-stimuli device.
Advanced synthesis
Multiple facilities for the production of mechanically stable materials with the large magnetocaloric effect are available at Functional Materials group of TU Darmstadt. The production route starts from pure elements and proceeds via versatile synthesis options (melting and casting, mechanical alloying, sintering, reactive crucibles) to different heat treatment protocols. Years of expertise allow fine control and tuning of the resulting alloys.
Comprehensive sample characterization
Standard sample characterisation techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), magnetic measurements in a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and investigation of microstructure by light and electron microscopy are accessible in our laboratories. Magnetic field and temperature options allow for sophisticated in-situ investigations of the tailored microstructures of the phase transitions by polarized light and Kerr microscopy.
