Enhancement of magnetocaloric effect in V doped intermetallic compounds Nd(Co1−xVx)2Si2 (x=0, 0.20 and 0.35)

We report a large enhancement of magnetocaloric entropy change in vanadium substituted intermetallic compounds Nd(Co1−xVx)2Si2 (x = 0.20 and 0.35). The antiferromagnetic parent compound NdCo2Si2 exhibits inverse magnetocaloric response. Upon vanadium doping, antiferromagnetic transition is gradually suppressed and there is a drastic modification of the ground state, with appearance of ferromagnetism in Nd(Co0.65V0.35)2Si2. Such modifications are reflected in the magnetocaloric properties of the parent and the doped compounds. In comparison to the inverse magnetocaloric response of the parent compound, the doped compound with x = 0.35 shows a conventional magnetocaloric effect that is large in magnitude compared to the parent compound. A table-like MCE in a wide-temperature range of 5-60 K have been observed in Nd(Co0.65V0.35)2Si2. The present study demonstrates enhancement of magnetic entropy by way of substitution at the transition metal site in these compounds.