Low-temperature large magnetocaloric effect in the antiferromagnetic ErNi0.6Cu0.4Al compound

Abstract

Magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effects (MCEs) of the ErNi 0.6Cu0.4Al compound are investigated. The compound is found to be antiferromagnet with the Néel temperature TN = 4 K. An antiferromagnetic (AFM)-to-ferromagnetic (FM) transition below T N occurs under an applied magnetic field of 0.8 kOe. The field-induced AFM-FM transition leads to a large MCE and no magnetic hysteresis loss is observed. The maximum values of magnetic entropy change (ΔS) are found to be -15.5 J/kg K and -22.5 J/kg K with a refrigerant capacity value of 122 and 354 J/kg for the field changes of 0-20 kOe and 0-50 kOe, respectively. The large ΔS as well as no hysteresis loss make ErNi0.6Cu 0.4Al an attractive candidate for low temperature magnetic refrigerant. © 2013 American Institute of Physics.