Magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect in the R2PdSi3 (R = Gd, Dy and Er) compounds

•Er2PdSi3 compound exhibits a giant reversible MCE.•Er2PdSi3 compound’s MCEs show no thermal and magnetic hysteresis.•Under field changes of 2 T, the value of -ΔSMmax is 14.5 J/kg K and the RC is 111 J/kg, respectively.

The magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect in R2PdSi3 (R = Dy, Dy and Er) compounds have been investigated. All these compounds possess an antiferromagnetic (AFM)-paramagnetic (PM) transition around their respective Néel temperatures. And, it is found that the Dy2PdSi3 and Er2PdSi3 compounds undergo a spin-glass behavior below Néel temperature. Under the magnetic field change of 5 T, the values of -ΔSMmax reach 11.8 J/kg K for Gd2PdSi3, 16.6 J/kg K for Dy2PdSi3 and 22 J/kg K for Er2PdSi3, respectively. Especially, the values of -ΔSMmax in the Er2PdSi3 compound are 8 and 14.5 J/kg K for field change of 1 and 2 T, which is attributed to a field-induced metamagnetic transition from AFM to FM states. The large reversible -ΔSM-ΔSM and large RC together with the absence of thermal and field hysteresis indicate that Er2PdSi3 compound could be a promising candidate for magnetic refrigeration at low temperatures.