Magnetocaloric effect and refrigeration performance in RE60Co20Ni20 (RE = Ho and Er) amorphous ribbons

•The amorphousized RE60Co20Ni20 (RE = Ho and Er) ribbons were fabricated.•Magnetic properties and MCE in RE60Co20Ni20 amorphous ribbon were studied.•Large values of −ΔSMmax, TEC, RCP and RC were observed at low temperatures.•RE60Co20Ni20 ribbons are competitive for cryogenic magnetic cooling. The magnetism and magnetocaloric performances of rapidly solidified RE60Co20Ni20 (RE = Ho and Er) amorphous ribbons have been investigated in this work. Both ribbons undergo a second-ordered magnetic transition from ferromagnetic (FM) to paramagnetic (PM) state. The magnetocaloric performances of RE60Co20Ni20 (RE = Ho and Er) ribbons have been characterized using magnetic entropy change (ΔSM), temperature averaged entropy change (TEC), relative cooling power (RCP) as well as refrigeration capacity (RC). With the external magnetic field change from 0 to 5 T, the maximal ΔSM values (−ΔSMmax) for Ho60Co20Ni20 and Er60Co20Ni20 are calculated to be 18.4 and 15.5 J/kg-K, respectively. The corresponding RCP (RC) values reach 668.2 (518.5) and 403.2 (320.3) J/kg. The present investigation highlights the potential of RE60Co20Ni20 ribbons as magnetic refrigerant materials at low temperature region.