Magnetic properties and magnetocaloric performances in amorphousized RE55Ni18Al27 (RE = Ho, Er and Tm) ribbons

Abstract

Magnetic refrigeration (MR) which is exploited the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) has been considered as an alternatively novel technology to the traditional gas compression/expression refrigeration technology. Searching and designing high-performing materials with large MCEs is one of the most important tasks in this research field. In this work, we reported on a systematical investigation of the GFA (glass forming ability), magnetic and magnetocaloric properties in rapidly solidified Ho55Ni18Al27, Er55Ni18Al27 and Tm55Ni18Al27 melt-spun ribbons. Large tunable reversible MCEs in a wide temperature region have been demonstrated for all presented amorphous ribbons at low temperatures, which possessed comparable or larger values of -ΔSMmax (maximum magnetic entropy change), TEC (Temperature-averaged Entropy Change), RCP (relative cooling power) as well as RC (refrigeration capacity) than some of the excellent RE (rare earth) based crystalized and amorphous MCE materials. The large tunable magnetocaloric properties make the RE55Ni18Al27 amorphous ribbons attractive for practical application.