Theoretical investigations on magnetic entropy change in amorphous and crystalline systems: Applications to RAg (R=Tb, Dy, Ho) and GdCuAl

•Theoretical investigation on RAg (R=Tb, Dy and Ho) and GdCuAl amorphous alloys.•Magnetic entropy changes in GdCuAl in both amorphous and crystalline structures.•The refrigerant capacity was compared in both amorphous and crystalline phases.

We report theoretical investigations on the magnetic entropy changes in amorphous systems through two different assumptions. In the first assumption, the HPZ-anisotropic model is considered to deal with the random direction of magnetic moments, where the amorphous RAg (R=Tb, Dy and Ho) were used as prototypes systems. In the second assumption, the amorphisation is parameterized through the exchange interaction distribution and GdCuAl, in amorphous and crystalline structures, were considered as prototypes systems. Comparisons between the magnetic entropy changes under amorphisation and under the usual magnetic field variation were performed. The model reveals the dependence of refrigerant capacity on the amorphisation parameter, and an optimum amorphisation parameter was calculated.