Giant magnetocaloric effect in the antiferromagnet GdScO3 single crystal

We have investigated the magnetic properties and the magnetocaloric effect of GdScO3 single crystal. A paramagnetic-antiferromagnetic magnetic phase transition has been observed in GdScO3 single crystal at low temperature, with Gd3+ sublattice in [001] direction (T-N = 2.6 K) and [010] direction (T-N = 2.8 K). This compound shows noticeable giant magnetocaloric effect with the maximum value of magnetic entropy change that come up to 47.3 J/kg K in [001] direction and 52.5 J/kg K in [010] direction for a field change of 70 kOe around its Neel temperature. The large magnetocaloric effect is due to the localized 4f moment of Gd3+ (J=S = 7/2) ions. Taking the interactions of the system into consideration, the magnetization and magnetic entropy change can both be well fitted by the molecular field theory based on mean field approximation. The giant magnetocaloric effect suggest that GdScO3 could be a potential material for magnetic refrigeration in low-temperature region. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.