Magnetocaloric Effect of Micro- and Nanoparticles of Gd5Si4

Materials exhibiting a large magnetocaloric effect (MCE) at or near room temperature are critical for solid-state refrigeration applications. The MCE is described by a change in entropy (Δ S M ) and/or temperature (Δ T ad ) of a material in response to a change in applied magnetic field. Ball milled materials generally exhibit smaller Δ S M values compared to bulk; however, milling broadens the effect, potentially increasing the relative cooling power (RCP). The as-cast Gd 5 Si 4 is an attractive option due to its magnetic transition at 340 K and associated MCE. Investigation of effect of particles size and transition temperature in the binary material, Gd 5 Si 4 , can lead to development of functionally graded bulk material with higher MCE and RCP than the traditional bulk materials. A two-step ball-milling process, in which coarse powder of Gd 5 Si 4 was first milled with poly(ethylene glycol) followed by milling in heptane was used to produce fine particles of Gd 5 Si 4 that showed a broad distribution in particle size. Magnetic measurement on the milled sample obtained after washing with water show a decrease in Curie temperature and significant broadening of the magnetic transition. Compared to bulk Gd 5 Si 4 , the maximum MCE of the milled samples is also reduced and shifted down by close to 30 K, but the MCE remains substantial over a broader temperature range. The RCP of both milled samples increased 75% from the bulk material.