Magnetocaloric performance of RE$_{5}$Pd$_2$In$_4$ (RE = Tb-Tm) compounds

Abstract

Magnetocaloric performance of the RE$_{5}$Pd$_2$In$_4$ (RE = Tb-Tm) rare earth compounds has been investigated using measurements of magnetization in the function of temperature and applied magnetic field. The maximum magnetic entropy change ($-\Delta S_{M}^{max}$) at magnetic flux density change ($\Delta \mu_0 H$) of 0-9~T has been determined to be 3.3~J$\cdot$kg$^{-1}\cdot$K$^{-1}$ at 62~K for Tb$_{5}$Pd$_2$In$_4$, 7.0~J$\cdot$kg$^{-1}\cdot$K$^{-1}$ at 22~K for Dy$_{5}$Pd$_2$In$_4$, 12.6~J$\cdot$kg$^{-1}\cdot$K$^{-1}$ at 22~K for Ho$_{5}$Pd$_2$In$_4$, 12.1~J$\cdot$kg$^{-1}\cdot$K$^{-1}$ at 17~K for Er$_{5}$Pd$_2$In$_4$ and 11.9~J$\cdot$kg$^{-1}\cdot$K$^{-1}$ at 9.0~K for Tm$_{5}$Pd$_2$In$_4$. The temperature averaged entropy change (TEC) with 3~K span equals 3.2, 7.0, 12.6, 12.2 and 11.8~J$\cdot$kg$^{-1}\cdot$K$^{-1}$ for RE = Tb-Tm, respectively. The relative cooling power (RCP) and refrigerant capacity (RC) are equal to respectively 258 and 215~J$\cdot$kg$^{-1}$ in Tb$_{5}$Pd$_2$In$_4$, 498 and 325~J$\cdot$kg$^{-1}$ in Dy$_{5}$Pd$_2$In$_4$, 489 and 403~J$\cdot$kg$^{-1}$ in Ho$_{5}$Pd$_2$In$_4$, 403 and 314~J$\cdot$kg$^{-1}$ in Er$_{5}$Pd$_2$In$_4$ and 234 and 184~J$\cdot$kg$^{-1}$ in Tm$_{5}$Pd$_2$In$_4$. The magnetocaloric properties of RE$_{5}$Pd$_2$In$_4$ are comparable to those of other known magnetocaloric materials, which show good magnetocaloric performance at low temperatures. Among RE$_{5}$Pd$_2$In$_4$, the highest values of parameters characterizing the magnetocaloric effect are found for RE = Ho and Er. Furthermore, for fixed RE element, the RE$_{5}$Pd$_2$In$_4$ compound displays the highest RCP and RC values when compared to those of its isostructural RE$_{5}$T$_2$In$_4$ (T = Ni, Pt) analogues.