Abstract
The magnetocaloric properties of single crystalline have been investigated in the temperature range 2–36 K by magnetization and heat-capacity measurements. Remarkably large and reversible magnetic entropy change, J/kg K, has been observed for a field change of 0–9 T. The adiabatic temperature change, , is also found to be very large, 22 K, slightly above the antiferromagnetic ordering temperature ( K) of the moment, for a field change of 0–8 T. These magnetocaloric parameters remain large down to the lowest temperature measured and are significantly larger than that reported for the other members of rare-earth () orthoferrites () and several potential magnetic refrigerants in the same temperature range. Both and are also quite large for a small field change. The large values of magnetocaloric parameters suggest that could be considered as a potential refrigerant in low-temperature magnetic refrigeration technology, such as liquefaction of hydrogen in the fuel industry. Moreover, has very low electrical conductivity and exhibits no thermal and field hysteresis in magnetization, fulfilling the necessary conditions for a good magnetic refrigerant.
1 More- Received 2 June 2017
- Revised 29 September 2017
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.96.174405
©2017 American Physical Society