Magnetocaloric effect in GdCoxAl2-x system for (0.15 <= x <= 1) compositions

作者:Fu, H.; Hadimani, R. L.*; Ma, Z.; Wang, M. X.; Teng, B. H.; Jiles, D. C.
来源:Journal of Applied Physics, 2014, 115(17): 17A914.
DOI:10.1063/1.4863167

摘要

Structure and magnetic properties of the GdAl2-GdCo2 system including magnetocaloric effect have been investigated for various compositions. The as-cast GdCoxAl2-x alloys prepared by arc-melting crystallize in the dual-phase structure of cubic MgCu2-type and hexagonal MgZn2-type phases. All the as-cast dual-phase alloys exhibit only one magnetic phase transition near 77K even though two ferrimagnetic phases coexist. The magnetic transition was broadened by the continuous transitions of the component phases, which resulted in enhancement of relative cooling power at the expense of the magnetic entropy changes.