Microstructure and magnetocaloric properties of partially crystallized Gd 60 Co 30 Fe 10 amorphous alloy prepared by different solidification cooling rates

The Gd 60 Co 30 Fe 10 alloy ribbons with different solidification cooling rates were prepared by modifying the melt‐spinning speed of 6.0, 12.5, 25.0 and 50.0 m·s −1 . With cooling rate decreasing, the (Fe,Co) 5 Gd and hcp‐Gd nanocrystalline was in situ precipitated among the amorphous matrix, which resulted in the composition change of the amorphous phase. Because of the only slight amount of crystalline phase in Gd 60 Co 30 Fe 10 alloys, the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties mainly depend on the amorphous phase, and all the magnetic entropy change versus temperature (|Δ S M |– T ) curves are table‐like, indicating the suitability for Ericsson cycle. The magnetic transition temperature of the Gd 60 Co 30 Fe 10 alloy at a melt‐spinning speed of 6.0 m·s −1 shifted obviously to the lower value with the applied magnetic fields increasing. The peak value of magnetic entropy change (|Δ S M pk |) is 2.19 J·kg −1 ·K −1 at 217 K under the magnetic field change of 0–2 T, and the table‐like region is 200–230 K. It was proved that the moderate reduction of the cooling rate will not deteriorate the magnetocaloric performance of the Gd 60 Co 30 Fe 10 ribbons seriously.