Effect of configuration entropy on magnetocaloric effect of rare earth high-entropy alloy

In this work, the relationship between configuration entropy and isothermal magnetic entropy change (ΔSM) of rare earth high-entropy alloys (HEAs) was studied. The results show that the matrix of rare earth HEAs GdTbHoEr exhibits the largest refrigerant capacity up to now (about 924.48 J kg−1 at a 5 T magnetic field). With the addition of non-magnetic elements La and Y, the configuration entropy increases, but the values of ΔSM and the refrigerant capacity decrease from 8.64 to 5.85 J kg−1K−1, 924.48–245.70 J kg−1, respectively. Further, the magnetic element Pr was added to GdTbHoEr, which also increased the configuration entropy and provided magnetism, but the ΔSM of the HEAs GdTbHoErPr (6.92 J kg−1K−1) still decreased. The analysis shows that the magnetocaloric effect of HEAs just depend on the intrinsic magnetic characteristics of rare earth elements with 4 f electrons and are independent of configuration entropy. [Display omitted] •Magnetocaloric effect of an as-cast single-phase rare earth high entropy alloy (HEA) GdTbHoErR(R=La, Y, Pr) was studied.•The relationship between configuration entropy and magnetic entropy change (ΔSM) of rare earth HEAs was studied.•The rare earth HEA GdTbHoEr exhibited the largest refrigerant capacity up to now (about 924.48 J kg−1 at 5 T field).