Managing hysteresis of Gd5Si2Ge2 by magnetic field cycling

The influence of magnetic field cycling through the first-order magnetostructural transformation on the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties, as well as hysteresis of polycrystalline Gd5Si2Ge2, has been studied using magnetometry. The cycling has a minimal effect on the magnetic field-induced entropy change and the phase transformation temperature of the material. On the other hand, magnetic hysteresis decreases by 30% after approximately ten cycles and remains low unless the sample is moved far into the paramagnetic regime. Factors playing a role in the history dependence of hysteresis have been discussed.