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 -Delta S-M at 20 K is 9.35 J kg(-1) K-1 for an external field change of 5T (5.14 J kg(-1) K-1 for 2T). The large reversible magnetic entropy change makes Tb0.6Y04CoC2 compound an attractive candidate for the application at hydrogen liquefaction temperature. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.