Induced Ferromagnetism and Colossal Magnetoresistance by Ir-Doping in Pr1-xCaxMnO3

The doping of the manganese site by iridium (up to 15%) in the small A cation manganites Pr_{1-x}Ca_xMnO_3 (0.4 < x < 0.8), has been investigated as a new method to suppress charge-ordering and induce CMR effects. Ir doping leads to ferromagnetism and to insulator to metal transitions, with high transition temperatures reaching 180K and CMR ratio in 7T as large as 10^4. The efficiency with which iridium induces ferromagnetism and CMR is compared to previous results obtained with other substitutions (Ru, Rh, Ni, Cr, ...). The ionic radius of the foreign cations and their mixed-valencies are found to be the main parameters governing the ability to collapse the charge-ordered state.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Eur. Phys. J.

Stability and thermoelectric performance of doped higher manganese silicide materials solidi fied by RGS (ribbon growth on substrate) synthesis

Large scale deployment of thermoelectric devices requires that the thermoelectric materials have stable electrical, thermal and mechanical properties under the conditions of operation. In this study we examine the high temperature stability of higher manganese silicide (HMS) materials prepared by the RGS (ribbon growth on substrate) technique. In particular we characterize the effect of element substitution on the structural and electrical changes occurring at the hot side of temperatures of thermoelectric devices relevant to this material (600°C). Only by using suitable substitution (4% vanadium at the Mn site) can we obtain temperature-independent structural parameters in the range 20°C - 600°C, a condition that results in stable electrical properties. Additionally, we show that 4% vanadium substitution at the Mn site offers the best thermoelectric figure of merit among the different compositions reported here with ZTmax=0.52, a value comparable to the state of the art for HMS materials. Our analysis suggests that ionized impurity scattering is responsible for the better performance of this material

Chemically Controllable Magnetic Transition Temperature and Magneto-Elastic Coupling in MnZnSb Compounds

International audienceMagneto-caloric materials offer the possibility to design environmentally friendlier thermal management devices compared to the widely used gas-based systems. The challenges to develop this solid-state based technology lie in the difficulty of finding materials presenting a large magneto-caloric effect over a broad temperature span together with suitable secondary appli-cation parameters such as low heat capacity and high thermal conductivity. A series of compounds derived from the PbFCl structure is investigated using a combination of computational and experimental methods focusing on the change of cell volume in magnetic and non-magnetic ground states. Scaling analysis of the magnetic properties determines that they are second order phase transition ferromagnets and that the magnetic entropy change is driven by the coupling of magneto-elastic strain in the square-net through the magnetic transition determined from neutron and synchrotron X-ray diffraction. The primary and secondary application related properties are measured experimentally, and the c/a parameter is identified as an accurate proxy to control the magnetic transition. Chemical substitution on the square-net affords tuning of the Curie temperature over a broad temperature span between 252 and 322 K. A predictive machine learning model for the c/aparameter is developed to guide future exploratory synthesis

Detection of delirium by nurses among long-term care residents with dementia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Delirium is a prevalent problem in long-term care (LTC) facilities where advanced age and cognitive impairment represent two important risk factors for this condition. Delirium is associated with numerous negative outcomes including increased morbidity and mortality. Despite its clinical importance, delirium often goes unrecognized by nurses. Although rates of nurse-detected delirium have been studied among hospitalized older patients, this issue has been largely neglected among demented older residents in LTC settings. The goals of this study were to determine detection rates of delirium and delirium symptoms by nurses among elderly residents with dementia and to identify factors associated with undetected cases of delirium.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this prospective study (N = 156), nurse ratings of delirium were compared to researcher ratings of delirium. This procedure was repeated for 6 delirium symptoms. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were computed. Logistic regressions were conducted to identify factors associated with delirium that is undetected by nurses.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Despite a high prevalence of delirium in this cohort (71.5%), nurses were able to detect the delirium in only a minority of cases (13%). Of the 134 residents not identified by nurses as having delirium, only 29.9% of them were correctly classified. Detection rates for the 6 delirium symptoms varied between 39.1% and 58.1%, indicating an overall under-recognition of symptoms of delirium. Only the age of the residents (≥ 85 yrs) was associated with undetected delirium (OR: 4.1; 90% CI: [1.5–11.0]).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Detection of delirium is a major issue for nurses that clearly needs to be addressed. Strategies to improve recognition of delirium could result in a reduction of adverse outcomes for this very vulnerable population.</p

Rôle de la dégénérescence orbitalaire et de spin dans le pouvoir thermoélectrique d'oxydes métalliques

CAEN-BU Sciences et STAPS (141182103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Sign change of the thermoelectric power in LaCoO3

International audienceThe substitution of 1%-Ce4+ for La3+ in LaCoO 3 is found to change the sign of the Seebeck coefficient at room temperature. This demonstrates that not only holes but also electrons can be created in LaCoO3. The result is compatible with the Heikes formula for doping levels close to the "pure" trivalent Co3+ state. Nonetheless, the physical properties such as magnetic susceptibility, magnetization, thermal conductivity and resistivity are found to be asymmetric for hole and electron-doped LaCoO3. Such a different behaviour is ascribed to the very different spin-states of Co4+(low-spin, t 2g 5eg 0) and Co2+ (high-spin, tg 5 g 2)

Two new magnetic hollandites A 1.5 Ru 6.1 Cr 1.9 O 16 (A = Sr, Ba): magnetoresistance and thermopower

International audienc

Two new magnetic hollandites A 1.5 Ru 6.1 Cr 1.9 O 16 (A = Sr, Ba): magnetoresistance and thermopower

International audienceThe magnetic and transport properties of two hollandites, Sr1.5Ru6.1Cr1.9O16 and Ba1.5Ru6.1Cr1.9O16, crystallizing in the I4/m space group, have been investigated. The structural study shows a lack of cation ordering, and the mixed Cr and Ru occupation in the edge shared MO6 octahedra is responsible for magnetic and electrical transport properties dominated by the localized nature of the carriers, in clear contrast with the metallic and Pauli magnetism observed in ruthenium hollandites. In particular, a complex magnetic behavior together with a cluster-glass behavior and semi-conducting resistivity are observed. Interestingly, both compounds exhibit negative magneto-resistance, reaching −18.6% at 5 K and 9 T in Ba1.5Ru6.1Cr1.9O16, and −4% in Sr1.5Ru6.1Cr1.9O16. This magneto-resistance is directly associated with the variable-range hopping nature of transport and hence with the existence of localized carriers induced by the Cr for Ru substitution. In contrast, the thermopower at high temperature shows a behavior dominated by the Ru cation network, with S ∼ 30 μV K−1, consistent with those measured for other ruthenates such as SrRuO3 and CaCu3Ru4O12 quadruple perovskites, or in the KRu4O8 hollandite. The comparison of these two hollandites with the KRu4O8 hollandite enables a direct investigation of the impact of localization on the thermopower in these materials

Thermoelectric and magnetic properties of perovskite-type manganate phases synthesised by ultrasonic spray combustion (USC)

International audienceElectron-doped manganate phases were synthesised by ultrasonic spray combustion (USC) to investigate the magnetic and transport properties related to their morphology. The nanocrystallite microstructure obtained from the USC synthesis is characterized by the presence of twinned domains coexisting with ordered crystalline material. Classical solid state reaction (SSR) methods were applied to compare their thermoelectric activities with the USC compounds. Magnetic properties and thermopower exhibit different features between USC and SSR phases at low temperatures. At high temperatures the USC compounds display higher power factor values compared to SSR phases due to low resistivity and large thermopower values