Features of magnetic and thermal properties of R(Co1-xFex)2 (x ≤ 0.16) quasibinary compounds with R= Dy, Ho, Er

In this work the results of measurements of high field susceptibility, paraprocess susceptibility and thermal properties of R(Co1-xFex)(2) intermetallic compounds (R=Dy, Ho, Er and x=(0-0.16)) are presented (heat capacity and magnetocaloric effect (MCE)). A magnetic structure of the Ho(Co0.88Fe0.12)(2) at 293 K and 78 K was studied by neutron powder diffraction. Some peculiarities of a high-field susceptibility were revealed at low temperatures and around the Curie point (T-c). In temperature range lower than T-c by (100-150) K, magnetic contributions to a zero-field heat capacity were found. Studying MCE in wide temperatures range, the large change of the entropy magnetic contribution (Delta S) was observed which correlates with Delta T phenomenon. In particular, for the Er(Co0.04Fe0.16)(2) compound the Delta S value at low temperatures is six times higher than that at Curie point. The possible reasons of such behavior were discussed. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.