Magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect of melt-spun Gd75(Co1−xFex)25 alloys

Abstract The Gd 75 (Co 1 − x Fe x ) 25 alloys obtained by rapid quenching from the melt have been studied by X-ray diffraction and magnetization measurements in order to reveal how the substitutions in the 3 d -metal subsystem at the constant Gd content affect the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of alloys. The glass forming ability is observed to decrease with increasing Fe content in Gd 75 (Co 1 − x Fe x ) 25 . The magnetic state of all the melt-spun Gd 75 (Co 1 − x Fe x ) 25 alloys is characterized as ferrimagnetic one. Assuming the magnetic moment of Gd to be constant (7 μ B ), it is found that the magnetic moment per transition metal atom varies from 1.6 μ B in Gd 75 Co 25 (x = 0) to 1.1 μ B in the Gd 75 Fe 25 (x = 1) melt-spun alloy. The replacement of Co by Fe atoms allows tuning the magnetocaloric properties and working temperature intervals of alloys.