Large Low Field Magnetocaloric Effect in Multicomponent Laves Phase Intermetallic Compounds Gd_0.33Dy_0.33Ho_0.33Al₂, Tb_0.33Ho_0.33Er_0.33Al₂, and Dy_0.33Ho_0.33Er_0.33Al₂

Multicomponent Laves phase intermetallic compounds Gd0.33Dy0.33Ho0.33Al2, Tb0.33Ho0.33Er0.33Al2, and Dy0.33Ho0.33Er0.33Al2 have been synthesized by arc-melting. The samples crystallize in cubic (MgCu2-type, space group Fd-3m) structure. Temperature-dependent magnetization measurements reveal ferromagnetic order in the Gd0.33Dy0.33Ho0.33Al2, Tb0.33Ho0.33Er0.33Al2, and Dy0.33Ho0.33Er0.33Al2 compounds at 84, 45, and 33 K (T-C), respectively. Magnetization versus magnetic field data at 5 K suggest soft ferromagnetism. Magnetocaloric effect (MCE) is estimated in terms of isothermal magnetic entropy change and adiabatic temperature change in magnetic fields up to 15 kOe and it is quite large. Therefore, these multicomponent Laves phase compounds could be useful for realizing magnetic refrigeration-based hydrogen liquefaction.