The role of boron on the magneto-caloric effect of FeZrB metallic glasses

Fe-rich FeZrB metallic glasses exhibit magneto-caloric effect (MCE) around room temperature. Amorphous ribbons of two different compositions, Fe(91)Zr(7)B(2) and Fe(88)Zr(8)B(4), with respective Curie temperature values of 230 and 285 K have been studied. Although the maximum magnetic entropy change is relatively moderate (vertical bar Delta S(M)vertical bar(max) similar to 3 J K(-1) Kg(-1) under an applied magnetic field change from 0 to 50 kOe), the MCE spreads over a broad temperature interval (Delta T similar to 200 K), giving rise to a large refrigerant capacity loss (RC similar to 435 J kg(-1)) without any hysteresis. The Curie temperature can be easily tuned between 200 and 350 K by changing the boron content. Therefore, the MCE can be controlled over a wide temperature interval, thus making these amorphous alloys promising candidates for magnetic refrigeration near room temperature. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.