Abstract
Magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effects (MCEs) of the intermetallic RNiIn (R = Gd-Er) compounds have been investigated in detail. GdNiIn and ErNiIn compounds exhibit a ferromagnetic (FM) to paramagnetic (PM) transition around the respective Curie temperatures. However, it is found that RNiIn with R = Tb, Dy, and Ho undergo two successive magnetic phase transitions with increasing temperature. In addition, a field-induced metamagnetic transition from antiferromagnetic (AFM) to FM states is observed in RNiIn with R = Tb and Dy below their respective AFM-FM transition temperatures (Tt). The maximal values of magnetic entropy change (ΔSM) of HoNiIn are –9.5 J/kg K at Tt = 7 K and –21.7 J/kg K at TC = 20 K for a magnetic field change of 5 T, respectively. These two successive ΔSM peaks overlap partly, giving rise to a high value of refrigerant capacity (RC = 341 J/kg at 5 T) over a wide temperature span. It is noted that the RC value of GdNiIn is as high as 326 J/kg due to the relatively broad distribution of ΔSM peak. Consequently, this RNiIn system shows large reversible ΔSM and considerable RC values in the temperature range of 10–100 K.
Published Version
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