Enhanced refrigerant capacity and magnetic entropy flattening using a two-amorphous FeZrB(Cu) composite

The temperature dependence of the isothermal magnetic entropy change, ΔS M , and the magnetic field dependence of the refrigerant capacity, RC , have been investigated in a composite system x A+(1 − x )B, based on Fe 87 Zr 6 B 6 Cu 1 (A) and Fe 90 Zr 8 B 2 (B) amorphous ribbons. Under a magnetic field change of 2T, the maximum improvement of the full-width at half maximum of ΔS M ( T ) curve (47% and 29%) and the RC (18% and 23%), in comparison with those of the individual alloys (A and B), is observed for x ≈0.5. Moreover, a flattening over 80K in the ΔS M ( T ) curve around room temperature range is observed, which is a key feature for an Ericsson magnetic refrigeration cycle.