Influence of Co addition on the magnetocaloric effect of FeCoSiAlGaPCB amorphous alloys

The FeCoSiAlGaPCB alloys can be prepared as bulk amorphous materials, with outstanding mechanical properties and increased electrical resistivity. These features can be beneficial for their application as a magnetic refrigerant. The influence of Co addition on the magnetic entropy change of the alloy has been studied. This compositional modification displaces the temperature of the peak entropy change closer to room temperature, but reduces the refrigerant capacity of the material. For the Co-free alloy, the peak entropy change is increased with respect to a Finemet alloy containing Mo, but its refrigerant capacity is not enhanced. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.