Recent progress in magnetocaloric effect: Mechanisms and potential applications

Recent results in understanding of the magnetocaloric effect (MCE) mechanisms in the framework of thermodynamic approach are regarded and discussed. Importance of relation between Delta S-MT (magnetic entropy change at constant temperature) and Delta S-MH (magnetic entropy change at constant field) and it influence on MCE value is considered. The main contributions to the MCE are discussed. The importance of further development of models of interactions between magnetic and structural subsystems in vicinity of magnetic phase transitions is stressed. It is stated that the present level of MCE parameters (in particular, adiabatic temperature change) can be increased up to 3 times. The necessity of investigation of MCE parameters in dynamic mode and development of new experimental methods and apparatuses for MCE measurements is discussed. The most obvious application for MCE for today is magnetic refrigeration, but MCE also can be used for other applications such as medicine (hyperthermia, drug delivering), etc., which are regarded. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd and IIR. All rights reserved.