Thermodynamic and Relaxation Processes near Curie Point in Gadolinium

An experimental method is suggested for the determination of the rate of magnetic phase transitions. The method is based on the measurement of the change of magnetic susceptibility of a ferromagnetic sample in the vicinity of the phase transition in response to an abrupt change of the sample temperature. This paper describes the measurement of the change of the magnetic susceptibility of a thin gadolinium plates, cooled by water-flow at a temperature below the Curie point (T-C approximate to 292 K). It was found that the relaxation time of the magnetic susceptibility of gadolinium in the temperature range from 289.9 to 291.3 K can be approximated using the Landau-Khalatnikov equation with a kinetic coefficient value gamma = 3.9x10(-8) cm(3)/(ergxs). The linear approximation does not fit well in the range from 291.3 to 293.2 K. The fundamental restriction of specific power of the magnetocaloric refrigerator (made by gadolinium plates) was estimated.