LAUSR

Abstract As the emerging ambient low-cost magnetic refrigeration system, the substitution effects on the magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effects in Al1−xSixFe2B2 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3) and Al1−yGayFe2B2 (y = 0.1 and 0.2) have been studied. The single phase is formed in a wide substitution composition region. All phase transitions in these compounds are of second-order and their Curie temperature (Tc) increases with more Si and Ga substitutions. For a field change of 5 T and 7 T, the maximum of entropy change (ΔSmax) of 4.9 J Kg−1 K−1 and 6.3 J Kg−1 K−1 are obtained and not dependent on the Si substitution amount in Al1−xSixFe2B2. As comparison, by Ga substitution, for the field change of 7 T and 5 T, the ΔSmax have been increased to 7.5 J Kg−1 K−1 and 6 J Kg−1 K−1 respectively. The tunable ambient Tc and considerable ΔSmax suggest that AlFe2B2-based compounds are potential low-cost ambient magnetic refrigeration candidates.