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JOURNAL OF MAGNETISM AND MAGNETIC MATERIALS, vol.322, no.8, pp.945-951, 2010 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
La1-xAgxMnO3 samples were synthesized by standard sol-gel method with Ag concentrations of x = 0.05 and 0.25. The samples from each concentration were pressed and sintered at 1000, 1200 and 1400 degrees C for 24 h in air for a systematic study. They were examined structurally by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM) with Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and magnetically by Magnetic Properties Measurements System (MPMS). AFM and SEM analyses show that surface morphology changes with Ag concentration and sintering temperature (T-S). It was observed that high temperature sintering leads Ag to leave material as determined from EDS analyses. XRD spectra exhibited that the crystal structure changes with Ag concentration while showing pronounced change with the sintering temperature. From the magnetic measurements, the Curie temperatures (T-C) and the isothermal magnetic entropy changes (-Delta SM) were calculated. It was observed that T-C increases with Ag concentration and decreases with T-S. The maximum -Delta SM was calculated to be 7.2 J/kg K under the field change of 5 T for the sample sintered at 1000 degrees C with x = 0.25. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.