Significant enhancement of ΔE effect in Fe87Ga13 alloy by doping 0.2 at% Dy

We present the effects of Dy additives on the ΔE and ΔG effects, magnetic properties, magnetostriction sensivity, magneto-mechanical coupling, and phase constitutions of Fe87Ga13Dyx alloys, prepared by vacuum induction-melting and then water-quenching. ΔE and ΔG effects, permeability (μR), dλ///dH, and magneto-mechanical coupling (K) are significantly enhanced by doping 0.2 at% Dy. The attractive ΔE/E0 of 5% at very small H = 0.10 kOe and a significant enhancement of about 100% from 6.1% to 12.0% in ΔE/E0 at H = 2.5 kOe (ΔEs/E0) achieved for Fe86.8Ga13Dy0.2 alloy favors for applications. The enhanced μR indicates magnetic softening. The increased amount of modified D03 phase and magnetic softening contribute to remarkable enhancements in dλ///dH, accordingly ΔE and ΔG effects, and K. Nevertheless, higher Dy content (x = 2.0) reduces the amount of modified D03 phase, μR, dλ///dH, and therefore K, ΔE, and ΔG effects. The proportional relation between ΔEs/E0 and K2 suggests that the experimentally ΔEs/E0 is consistent with theoretically calculated K2. This work provides an effective method for significantly enhancing the ΔE and ΔG effects and magnetostriction sensitivity for Galfenol alloys. •A significant enhancement of about 100% in ΔE/E0 achieved for Fe86.8Ga13Dy0.2 alloy favors for applications.•Large ΔE effect correlates to modified phase constitution by doping Dy and magnetic softening.•The experimentally ΔEs/E0 is consistent with theoretically calculated K2.•This work provides an effective way to enhance ΔE and ΔG effects for Galfenol alloys.