The Magnetocaloric Properties of Gd5Si4 Alloy Prepared by the New Method

We report on a new method for preparation the magnetocaloric alloy Gd5Si4. By mechanical alloying under argon atmosphere and then melting sample by arc furnace, we produced the Gd5Si4 alloy. The structure and magnetothermal properties of the alloy have been investigated with the help of powder X-ray diffraction and magnetization measurements. This compound crystallized in the orthorhombic structure with space group pnma. In X-ray powder diffraction pattern, a minor orthorhombic GdSi2 phase was observed as a second phase. For this compound, the second order phase transition was observed. The maximum isothermal magnetic entropy change of the Gd5Si4 compound at 348K was found to be -10 J/(kg K) in an applied field of 0.5T.