Magnetocaloric effect of the multiphase Gd_4−xTb_xCo₃ system

ABSTRACT

Crystal structure, microstructural chemical analysis, magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect for ‘as cast’ and annealed Gd_4−xTb_xCo₃ (x = 0–4) were investigated. Only Gd₄Co₃ was homogeneous and crystallised in the hexagonal Ho₄Co₃-type of crystal structure. Samples substituted with terbium proved to be a mixture of (Gd,Tb)₁₂Co₇ and (Gd,Tb)Co₂ phases. With the increase of terbium content the entropy change increased and for the samples with x = 3, 4 reached the highest values. Even ‘as-cast’ samples exhibit pronounced values of the magnetocaloric parameters.

KEYWORDS:

• Alloys
• intermetallic phases
• microchemical analysis
• XRD
• magnetisation

ORCID

P. Zajdel http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1220-5866