Magnetocaloric effect in R2Ti3Ge4 (R = Gd, Tb and Er) Compounds

TL;DR

This study investigates the heat capacity and magnetocaloric effect of R2Ti3Ge4 compounds with R = Gd, Tb, Er, revealing significant magnetic entropy and temperature changes near magnetic transitions, useful for magnetic cooling applications.

Contribution

It provides new experimental data on the magnetocaloric properties of R2Ti3Ge4 compounds with different lanthanides, highlighting their potential for magnetic refrigeration.

Findings

Significant magnetic entropy change near magnetic transitions.

Notable adiabatic temperature change in low magnetic fields.

Presence of competing magnetic interactions in the compounds.

Abstract

Heat capacity of polycrystalline R2Ti3Ge4 (R = Gd, Tb and Er) compounds (Orthorhombic, Sm5Ge4-type, Space group Pnma) has been studied in the temperature range of 1.8 K to 300 K in various applied magnetic fields. The compounds with magnetic lanthanide elements show interesting low field magnetism intrigued by possible presence of competing antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic interactions. The magnetocaloric effect in these compounds is estimated from the field dependent heat capacity data. The magnetic entropy change and the adiabatic temperature change in the vicinity of the magnetic transition are found to be significant.