The magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect in LaFe11.5Al1.5Bx compounds

The magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect (MCE) of LaFe11.5Al1.5Bx (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3) intermetallic compounds have been studied. A ferromagnetic (FM) to paramagnetic (PM) transition is observed in LaFe11.5Al1.5Bx (x = 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3) compared to the antiferromagnetic (AFM) to PM transition of the parent LaFe11.5Al1.5 compound. The Curie temperature (TC) is improved and the thermal hysteresis is depressed by increasing the boron content x from 0.1 to 0.3. The magnetic transition is changed from weakly first order to second order with increasing boron content. The maximum magnetic entropy changes (−ΔSM) under a field change of 0-3 T are 7.64 J/kg·K at TC = 178 K, 7.38 J/kg·K at TC = 185 K and 7.25 J/kg·K at TC = 189 K for the LaFe11.5Al1.5Bx with x = 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3, respectively. The LaFe11.5Al1.5Bx compounds are worth to be studied in-depth because of their abundant magnetism.