The promising room-temperature magnetic refrigeration materials — Misch-metal (MM)2Fe17-xSix (x=0–1.5) compounds

The phase structure, magnetic properties, magnetocaloric effect (MCE) and relative cooling power (RCP) of MM2Fe17-xSix (x = 0–1.5) compounds were studied. The phase transition temperature was increased from 238 K to 366 K with the increase of Si content. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicate that the MM2Fe17-xSix (x = 0–1.5) compounds crystallize primarily in a rhombohedral phase with Th2Zn17 type crystal structure coexisting with a small amount of the precipitation α-Fe phase. These results are reinforced by backscattered scanning electron microscope (SEM) images and electron energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis. The maximum values of magnetic entropy change (ΔSM) for MM2Fe17-xSix (x = 0, 0.3, 0.6, 1.0) compounds are −2.1 J kg−1K−1, −1.3 J kg−1K−1, −1.5 J kg−1K−1, −1.8 J kg−1K−1 for field change of 0–2 T and −4.0 J kg−1K−1, −2.7 J kg−1K−1, −3.1 J kg−1K−1, −3.5 J kg−1K−1 for field change of 0–5 T. The estimated RCP values are larger than 100 J kg-1 and 350 J kg-1 for the field change of 0–2 T and 0–5 T, respectively. The working temperature range δTFWHM is larger than 50 K and 100 K with the field changes of 0–2 T and 0–5 T, respectively. The temperature range and RCP values are comparable to the second-order phase transition (SOPT) materials R2Fe17 (R = Pr, Nd) and Gd, but the cost of MM2Fe17-xSix is only about 25% and 10% compared with R2Fe17 (R = Pr, Nd) and Gd, respectively. •The ΔSM are −2.1 J kg−1K−1 with the field changes of 0–2 T.•The RCP are larger than 100 J kg-1 with the field changes of 0–2 T.•The cost is only about 25% and 10% compared with R2Fe17 (R = Pr, Nd) and Gd.•The phase transition temperature cover whole room temperature ranges.•Which shows weak thermal and magnetic hysteresis.