Doped Gd₅Ge₂Si₂ compounds and methods for reducing hysteresis losses in Gd₅Ge₂Si₂ compound

摘要

A Gd₅Ge₂Si₂ refrigerant compound is doped or alloyed with an effective amount of silicide-forming metal element such that the magnetic hysteresis losses in the doped Gd₅Ge₂Si₂ compound are substantially reduced in comparison to the hysteresis losses of the undoped Gd₅Ge₂Si₂ compound. The hysteresis losses can be nearly eliminated by doping the Gd₅Ge₂Si₂ compound with iron, cobalt, manganese, copper, or gallium. The effective refrigeration capacities of the doped Gd₅Ge₂Si₂ compound are significantly higher than for the undoped Gd₅Ge₂Si₂ compound.