Magnetocaloric performance of RE_5Pd_2In_4 (RE = Tb-Tm) compounds

Magnetocaloric performance of the RE_5Pd_2In_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 (-Δ S_M^max) at magnetic flux density change (Δμ_0 H) of 0-9 T has been determined to be 3.3 J·kg^-1·K^-1 at 62 K for Tb_5Pd_2In_4, 7.0 J·kg^-1·K^-1 at 22 K for Dy_5Pd_2In_4, 12.6 J·kg^-1·K^-1 at 22 K for Ho_5Pd_2In_4, 12.1 J·kg^-1·K^-1 at 17 K for Er_5Pd_2In_4 and 11.9 J·kg^-1·K^-1 at 9.0 K for Tm_5Pd_2In_4. The temperature averaged entropy change (TEC) with 3 K span equals 3.2, 7.0, 12.6, 12.2 and 11.8 J·kg^-1·K^-1 for RE = Tb-Tm, respectively. The relative cooling power (RCP) and refrigerant capacity (RC) are equal to respectively 258 and 215 J·kg^-1 in Tb_5Pd_2In_4, 498 and 325 J·kg^-1 in Dy_5Pd_2In_4, 489 and 403 J·kg^-1 in Ho_5Pd_2In_4, 403 and 314 J·kg^-1 in Er_5Pd_2In_4 and 234 and 184 J·kg^-1 in Tm_5Pd_2In_4. The magnetocaloric properties of RE_5Pd_2In_4 are comparable to those of other known magnetocaloric materials, which show good magnetocaloric performance at low temperatures. Among RE_5Pd_2In_4, the highest values of parameters characterizing the magnetocaloric effect are found for RE = Ho and Er. Furthermore, for fixed RE element, the RE_5Pd_2In_4 compound displays the highest RCP and RC values when compared to those of its isostructural RE_5T_2In_4 (T = Ni, Pt) analogues.