Influence of gadolinium and dysprosium substitution on magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect of Fe_78−xRE_xSi₄Nb₅B₁₂Cu₁ amorphous alloys

Amorphous Fe_78−xRE_xSi₄Nb₅B₁₂Cu₁ (RE = Gd, Dy) ribbons with different RE contents were prepared by melt spinning to investigate the effect of heavy rare earth (Gd, Dy) substitution on the hyperfine structure, magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect. The Curie temperature of RE substituted alloys, hyperfine field and magnetic moments of Fe atoms initially increase up to 1 at% RE content and then decrease monotonously for increasing RE content up to 10 at%. The dependence of magnetic entropy change (–ΔS_M) and refrigeration capacity (RC) of the alloys on RE contents displays the same tendency. The RC_AREA values of the alloys substituted with 1 at% Gd and Dy are similar to those of recently reported Fe-based metallic glasses with enhanced RC values compared with those of Gd₅Ge_1.9Si₂Fe_0.1. Enhanced –ΔS_M and RC values, negligible coercive force and hysteresis commonly make these Fe_78−xRE_xSi₄Nb₅B₁₂Cu₁ amorphous alloys as low-cost candidates for high-temperature magnetic refrigeration.