Magnetic properties and magnetic entropy change in rare earth-rich aluminium compounds of RE2CuAl3 (RE = Dy and Tm)

In this paper, we reported on the magnetic properties and magneto-caloric effect (MCE) of the aluminium compounds Dy2CuAl3 and Tm2CuAl3 based on the magnetization and isothermal magnetization of various temperature measurements. Both compounds obey magnetic phase transition from a paramagnetic (PM) to ferromagnetic (FM) state (second order) around the Curie temperatures of TC ∼ 24.5 and 4.7 K together with a considerable reversible MCE for Dy2CuAl3 and Tm2CuAl3, respectively. The magnetic entropy change (-ΔSM) and the relative cooling power (RCP) were estimated and discussed in terms of MCE. Maximum values of -ΔSM are 6.68 and 11.33 J/kg K for Dy2CuAl3 and Tm2CuAl3, respectively, for a change in field of 0-5 T. Correspondingly, the values of RCP are 364 J/kg and 216 J/kg.