Large magnetic entropy change near room temperature in the LaFe11.5Si1.5H1.3 interstitial compound

Abstract

The LaFe11.5Si1.5H1.3 interstitial compound has been prepared. Its Curie temperature TC (288 K) has been adjusted to around room temperature and the maximal magnetic entropy change (|ΔS|~17.0 J·kg-1·K-1 at TC) is larger than that of Gd (|ΔS|~9.8 J·kg-1·K-1 at TC=293 K) by ~73.5% under a magnetic change from 0 to 5 T. The origin of the large magnetic entropy change is attributed to the first-order field-induced itinerant-electron metamagnetic transition. Moreover, the magnetic hysteresis of LaFe11.5Si1.5H1.3 under the increase and decrease of the field is very small, which is favourable to magnetic refrigeration application. The present study suggests that the LaFe11.5Si1.5H1.3 compound is a promising candidate as a room-temperature magnetic refrigerant.