Handling mixed-state magnetization data for magnetocaloric studies—a solution to achieve realistic entropy behaviour

We present an approach to extract a realistic magnetic entropy value from non-equilibrium magnetization data near the transition temperature of a typical first-order system with a mixed-phase state, influenced by the phase transformation, which is responsible for large values reported, even higher than the theoretical limit. The effect of the mixed-phase state is modelled in the magnetization and its non-physical contribution is removed to obtain the magnetic entropy in accordance with calorimetric experiment and theoretical simulation. This approach gives a reliable estimation of the magnetic entropy value incorporating experimental non-equilibrium magnetization data and correcting the use of Maxwell's relation.