The magnetocaloric effect in the vicinity of compensation temperature of ferrimagnetic DyCo4Al alloy

• Published in: The European physical journal. B, Condensed matter physics Vol. 86; no. 4
• Main Authors: Ma, Shengcan, Zhong, Zhenchen, Wang, Dunhui, Luo, Junming, Xu, Jilin, Huang, Youlin, Hou, Yuhua, He, Jun, Cao, Qingqi, Du, Youwei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01.04.2013; EDP Sciences
• Subjects: Complex Systems; Condensed Matter Physics; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Domain effects, magnetization curves, and hysteresis; Exact sciences and technology; Fluid- and Aerodynamics; Magnetic properties and materials; Magnetically ordered materials: other intrinsic properties; Magnetization curves, magnetization reversal, hysteresis, barkhausen and related effects; Magnetocaloric effect, magnetic cooling; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Regular Article; Solid State Physics; Solid State and Materials; Ferrimagnetic materials; Magnetic refrigerators; Magnetization; Aluminium alloys; Magnetocaloric effects; Dysprosium alloys; Temperature effects; Compensation point; Cobalt alloys; Transition element alloys
• ISSN: 1434-6028; 1434-6036
• DOI: 10.1140/epjb/e2013-30823-y

The magnetic and magnetocaloric properties in ferrimagnetic DyCo 4 Al alloy are investigated in the vicinity of compensation temperature. A compensation temperature closed to room temperature is observed due to the spin-offset. On both sides of compensation temperature, the magnetization presents the abrupt change. As a consequence, two successive positive and negative magnetic entropy change peaks are obtained for this alloy. The appreciable magnetic entropy change values with a very wide refrigerant temperature interval (~200 K) corresponding to the positive magnetic entropy change peak would make this alloy suitable to be used in a magnetic refrigerator.