Table-like magnetocaloric effect and enhanced refrigerant capacity in crystalline Gd55Co35Mn10 alloy melt spun ribbons

Gd55Co35Mn10 ribbons were prepared by melt-spinning and subsequent crystallization treatment. Crystallization resulted in the precipitation of the Gd3Co-type and Gd12Co7-type phases in the amorphous matrix. Under a magnetic field change of 0-5 T, a table-like magnetocaloric effect, with a maximum magnetic entropy change (−ΔSM)max of 5.46Jkg−1K−1 in the temperature range of 137-180 K and enhanced refrigerant capacity (RC) of 536.4Jkg−1, was achieved in Gd55Co35Mn10 ribbons crystallized at 600 K for 30 min. The table-like (−ΔSM)max feature and enhanced RC values make Gd55Co35Mn10 crystallized ribbons promising for Ericsson-cycle magnetic refrigeration in the temperature range from 137 to 180 K.