Magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect in (Dy0.6Er 0.4)1-xGdxCo2 multicomponent compounds

Abstract

We report magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of the polycrystalline series of (Dy0.6Er0.4)1-xGdxCo 2 (x = 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4) intermetallic compounds. These samples were synthesized using high purity rare earth metals. X-ray diffraction patterns taken at room temperature revealed that all the (Dy0.6Er 0.4)1-xGdxCo2 compounds have the C15 cubic Laves phase superstructure. Magnetization measurements were carried out using a vibration sample magnetometer with a step motor in applied fields up to 14 T using a Bitter-type magnet. Heat capacity measurements have been performed in temperature range 2-300 K. The Debye temperatures, phonon and conduction electron contributions as well as the magnetic part of heat capacity were estimated. The magnetocaloric effect has been estimated both in terms of isothermal magnetic entropy change and adiabatic temperature change for selected solid solutions in magnetic fields up to 3 T. The raising amount of the Gd in samples on magnetic and magnetocaloric properties will be discussed.