Magnetocaloric performance of RE₅Pd₂In₄ (RE = Tb-Tm) compounds

Magnetocaloric performance of the RE₅Pd₂In₄ (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 SMᵐᵃˣ) at magnetic flux density change (Δ μ₀ H) of 0-9~T has been determined to be 3.3~J·kg⁻¹·K⁻¹ at 62~K for Tb₅Pd₂In₄, 7.0~J·kg⁻¹·K⁻¹ at 22~K for Dy₅Pd₂In₄, 12.6~J·kg⁻¹·K⁻¹ at 22~K for Ho₅Pd₂In₄, 12.1~J·kg⁻¹·K⁻¹ at 17~K for Er₅Pd₂In₄ and 11.9~J·kg⁻¹·K⁻¹ at 9.0~K for Tm₅Pd₂In₄. 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 Tb₅Pd₂In₄, 498 and 325~J·kg⁻¹ in Dy₅Pd₂In₄, 489 and 403~J·kg⁻¹ in Ho₅Pd₂In₄, 403 and 314~J·kg⁻¹ in Er₅Pd₂In₄ and 234 and 184~J·kg⁻¹ in Tm₅Pd₂In₄. The magnetocaloric properties of RE₅Pd₂In₄ are comparable to those of other known magnetocaloric materials, which show good magnetocaloric performance at low temperatures. Among RE₅Pd₂In₄, the highest values of parameters characterizing the magnetocaloric effect are found for RE = Ho and Er. Furthermore, for fixed RE element, the RE₅Pd₂In₄ compound displays the highest RCP and RC values when compared to those of its isostructural RE₅T₂In₄ (T = Ni, Pt) analogues.