Tunable magnetocaloric effect around hydrogen liquefaction temperature in Tb1−xYxCoC2 compounds

The magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect of Tb1−xYxCoC2 (x=0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4) compounds have been investigated systematically. All the compounds undergo second-order transitions from paramagnetic to ferromagnetic states without thermal and magnetic hysteresis. With increasing Y content from 0 to 0.4, the Curie temperatures decrease nearly linearly from 28 to 18 K. The nature of the second-order phase transitions can be confirmed by Arrott plots. For Tb0.6Y0.4CoC2 compound, the maximum value of the magnetic entropy change –ΔSM at 20 K is 9.35 J kg−1 K−1 for an external field change of 5 T (5.14 J kg−1 K−1 for 2 T). The large reversible magnetic entropy change makes Tb0.6Y0.4CoC2 compound an attractive candidate for the application at hydrogen liquefaction temperature.