The impact of B substitution in Ni50Mn35In15−xBx Heusler alloys on the structural, magnetic, transport, and parameters of the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) has been studied by means of room-temperature X-ray diffraction and thermomagnetic measurements (in magnetic fields (H) up to 5 T, and in the temperature interval 5–400 K). Direct adiabatic temperature change (ΔTAD) measurements have been carried out for an applied magnetic field change of 1.8 T. The transition temperatures (T-x) phase diagram has been constructed for H = 0.005 T. The MCE parameters were found to be comparable to those observed in other MCE materials such as Ni50Mn34.8In14.2B and Ni50Mn35In14X (X=In, Al, and Ge) Heusler alloys. The maximum absolute value of ΔTAD = 2.5 K was observed at the magnetostructural transition for Ni50Mn35In14.5B0.5.

The magnetic and magnetocaloric characteristics of Ni 50 Mn 35 In 15 Heusler alloy are studied in low and high applied magnetic field. At a magnetic field of 14 T, the adiabatic temperature change ΔT ad measured by the sample extraction technique near the martensitic transformation (≈315 K) is as large as 11 K. This value is an order of magnitude larger than the corresponding change measured at 1.6 T. The observed giant values of the magnetocaloric effect could be related to the suppression of antiferromagnetic correlations.

Magnetization, electrical resistivity, magnetoresistance, and Hall resistivity of Ni50Mn35In14.25B0.75 and Ni50Mn35In14.5B0.5 Heusler alloys were studied in a temperature range T = 80-400 K in magnetic fields up to 20 kOe. Both alloys exhibit a martensitic transformation from a high-temperature ferromagnetic austenite phase to a low-temperature, low-magnetization martensitic phase. The electrical resistivity nearly doubles as a result of the martensitic transformation, reaching 180 and 100 µΩcm in the martensitic states of Ni50Mn35In14.25B0.75 and Ni50Mn35In14.5B0.5, respectively. The temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity does not corresponded with the Mooij correlation. The magnetoresistance is negative with a narrow negative peak at the martensitic transition. Normal and anomalous Hall effect coefficients were determined by fitting the field dependencies of the Hall resistivity using magnetization data. The coefficients of the normal Hall effect for both compositions were found to decrease with temperature from positive values in the austenite to negative values in the martensite phase.None of the known correlations between the anomalous Hall effect coefficient and resistivity were satisfied. Significant changes in the values of the anomalous Hall coefficients during the martensitic transformation are explained by the difference in spin-up and spin-down state 2 occupations in the martensite and austenite phases. First-principle calculations of the electronic structures confirm this explanation.

Direct measurements of the adiabatic temperature change (ΔTAD) of Ni50Mn35In14.5B0.5 have been done using an adiabatic magnetocalorimeter in a temperature range of 250–350 K, and with magnetic field changes up to ΔH = 1.8 T. The initial susceptibility in the low magnetic field region drastically increases with temperature starting at about 300 K. Magnetocaloric effects parameters, adiabatic temperature changes, and magnetic entropy changes were found to be a linear function of H2/3 in the vicinity of the second order transitions (SOT), whereas the first order transitions do not obey the H2/3 law due to the discontinuity of the transition. The relative cooling power based on the adiabatic temperature change for a magnetic field change of 1.8 T has been estimated. Maximum values of ΔTAD = −2.6 K and 1.7 K were observed at the magnetostructural transition (MST) and SOT for ΔH = 1.8 T, respectively. The observed ΔTAD at the MST exceeds the ΔTAD for Ni50Mn35In14X with X = In, Al, and Ge by more than 20% and is larger than the Gd based Heusler alloys.

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The structural, magnetic, and magnetotransport properties of Ni50-xCrxMn37In13 Heusler alloys have been synthesized and investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), field and pressure dependent magnetization, and electrical resistivity measurements. The partial substitution of Ni by Cr in Ni50Mn37In13 significantly improves the magnetocaloric effect in the vicinity of the martensitic transition (TM). This system also shows a large negative entropy change at the Curie temperature (TC), making it a candidate material for application in a refrigeration cycle that exploits both positive and negative magnetic entropy changes. The refrigeration capacity (RC) values at TM and TC increase significantly by more than 20 % with Cr substitution. The application of hydrostatic pressure increases the temperature stability of the martensitic phase in Ni45Cr5Mn37In13. The influence of Cr substitution on the transport properties of Ni48Cr2Mn37In13 is discussed. An asymmetric magnetoresistance, i.e., a spin-valve-like behavior, has been observed near TM for Ni48Cr2Mn37In13.