On the evaluation of thermomechanical parameters for caloric investigation of NiMnGaCu polycrystalline alloy

Abstract Ferromagnetic shape memory alloys have received much attention for their multicaloric effect, in particular for their magnetocaloric/elastocaloric synergic coupling. Among them, NiMnGaCu alloys represent one of the most promising systems in terms of high magnetocaloric entropy change values. Our previous studies were addressed to assess the effect of microstructure on the elastocaloric effect. In the present work, a critical comparison among experimental data from different methodologies, i.e. DSC, adiabatic calorimetry under magnetic field, magnetization and thermomechanical measurements is made. The different approaches are discussed in terms of experimental and theoretical critical aspects.