Powder metallurgy influences on the magnetic properties of Gd5.09Ge2.03Si1.88 alloy

Magnetic refrigeration is an innovative technology owing to its high-efficiency, low-energy consumption, and environmental friendliness. However, the manufacturing process of the magnetocaloric materials is an obstacle to the effective application of those materials on refrigeration systems. In this work, we present a magnetic characterization of the Gd5.09Ge2.03Si1.88.alloy, analyzing the as-cast bulk and the sintered tablets after some heat treatments. The study of powder metallurgy parameters such as grain size, compacting pressure and sintering process has showed results comparable to the as-cast alloy, which presents ΔST=−18 /kg K.