Magnetic properties and magnetic entropy changes of LaFe11.0Co0.8(Si1-xAlx)1.2 compounds

The magnetic properties and magnetic entropy changes of the LaFe11.0Co0.8(Si1-xAlx)(1.2) (x= 0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6) compounds have been experimentally studied. The Curie temperature is found to increase with increasing Al concentration from 276 K for x=0 to 290 K for x=0.6. The maximum magnetic entropy change vertical bar DS vertical bar under a field change of 0-5T reduces from 18.5 to 8.8 J/kg K as x increases from 0 to 0.6, whereas the full- width at half- maximum of vertical bar DS vertical bar, delta T-FWHM, increases from 27 to 51 K. (C) 2006 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.