Investigation of compounds for magnetocaloric applications: YFe_2H_(4.2), YFe_2D_(4.2), and Y_(0.5)Tb_(0.5)Fe_2D_(4.2)

摘要

The magnetocaloric properties of powder samples of the monoclinic YFe_2H_(4.2), YFe_2D_(4.2), and Y_(0.5)Tb_(0.5)Fe_2D_(4.2) compounds have been studied at their itinerant electron metamagnetic transition (T_(M0)=131, 84, and 127 K, respectively). Large reversible entropy changes are observed, up to -△S_M= 10.83 J K~(-1) kg~(-1) for a field variation of 5 T in YFe_2D_(4.2), making these alloys candidates for magnetic refrigeration applications. The results are compared with previously published data on other potential magnetic refrigerants with itinerant electron metamagnetic transitions.