Magnetic and magnetothermodynamic properties of Ho5Si4

The magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Ho5Si4 have been investigated. The compound undergoes a second order ferromagnetic transition at 76 K (T-C) and a spin reorientation transition at about 15 K. The temperature dependencies of heat capacity data measured in various magnetic fields corroborate the second order ferromagnetic character of the transition at T-C. For a field change (Delta H) of 50 kOe, the maximum values of isothermal magnetic entropy change (Delta S-M) and adiabatic temperature change (Delta T-ad) are -14.8 J kg(-1) K-1 (114 mJ/cm(3) K) and 6.1 K, respectively. From the first principles calculations the T-C of Ho5Si4 is estimated to be 78 K and the maximum value of Delta S-M is estimated to be -12.6 J kg(-1) K-1 for Delta H= 50 kOe. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3365515]