Synthesis and magnetic properties of the ternary germanide TbScGe

► The magnetocaloric properties of the ternary germanide TbScGe were investigated. ► The compound was characterized by microprobe analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, magnetization and specific heat measurements. ► TbScGe is a ferromagnet showing a moderate magnetocaloric effect at 250K. TbScGe is obtained as pure phase after melting of the constituents followed by an annealing at 1173K. Contrary to what was suggested previously, this ternary germanide does not present a high temperature form with the hexagonal Ti5Ga4-type structure after melting and quenching; the as quenched sample is a mixture based on the two solid solutions (Tb1−xScx)5Ge3 and Tb1−xScx. TbScGe adopts the tetragonal CeScSi-type structure with a=4.219 and c=15.452Å as unit cell parameters. Its investigation by magnetization and specific heat measurements reveals a ferromagnetic behavior below TC=250K inducing a moderate magnetocaloric effect; for a magnetic field change of 2T, the magnetic entropy change ΔSm is equal to −1.6JK−1kg−1 which corresponds to an adiabatic temperature change ΔTad of 1.25K.