Magnetocaloric Behavior in 2D Magnets: A Dimensionality Perspective

The incorporation of two-dimensional (2D) materials in magnetocaloric systems offers a state-of-the-art approach to enhance solid-state magnetic cooling for sustainable applications. However, the impact of dimensionality on the magnetocaloric performance of 2D magnets remains less understood. In this work, we employ density functional theory and atomic spin dynamics simulations to reveal a remarkable increase in the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) in ferromagnetic monolayers compared to bulk counterparts. This enhancement is attributed to the absence of interlayer exchange coupling, resulting in a lower transition temperature and a stronger dependence of the magnetization on temperature near their Curie temperatures. Furthermore, 2D ferromagnetic monolayers exhibit higher sensitivity to external magnetic fields and achieve saturation magnetization at lower applied field strengths, leading to larger magnetic entropy and adiabatic temperature changes. These findings provide valuable theoretical insights into MCE in 2D magnets and hold promise for advanced cooling and thermal management in compact nanodevices.