Phase transitions and the magnetocaloric effect in (Gd,Tb)5Si2Ge2 compounds doped with Ti

We have conducted the study of structural, magnetic, magnetothermal, and magnetoelastic properties of four rare-earth compounds: Gd4.5Tb0.5Si2Ge2, Gd4TbSi2Ge2, Gd4.4Tb0.5Ti0.1Si2Ge2, and Gd3.9TbTi0.1Si2Ge2 in the vicinity of magnetically induced phase transitions. We demonstrate that the introduction of Ti into the rare-earth sublattice separates the structural and magnetic phase transitions and changes the order of magnetic phase transition from type I to II, while preserving high values of magnetocaloric effect (MCE). Additionally, incorporating a small quantity of Tb enables the creation of compounds with enhanced MCE values over a specific temperature range of 240–290 K. The observed phenomena can be attributed to the combined effects of forced magnetization and alteration of magnetic susceptibility during the structural phase transition that accompany the magnetic phase changes in these compounds.