Synthesis, Physical, and Magnetocaloric Properties of MgZn 2 -Type Gd 2 Al 3 Rh.

Gd 2 Al 3 Rh was synthesized from the elements using arc-melting techniques, along with subsequent annealing. The title compound adopts the hexagonal MgZn 2 type structure (space group P 6 3 / mmc , hP 12, Wyckoff sequence hfa ) with the Gd atoms found on the Mg positions (4 f ), the Rh (2 a ) and Al (6 h ) atoms occupying the two Zn sites of the prototype. In addition, mixing of Rh and Al on both crystallographic positions is observed. The magnetic susceptibility and magnetization experiments were conducted indicating ferromagnetic ordering below the Curie temperature of T C = 51.3(1) K and very high magnetization of 6.96(1) μ B at 3 K and 70 kOe. In addition, heat capacity and electrical resistivity measurements were conducted. The magnetocaloric properties of ferromagnetic Gd 2 Al 3 Rh have been determined by means of magnetization measurements. For a field change of Δ H = 0 → 50 kOe the magnetic entropy change equals Δ S M max = -4.8 J kg -1 K -1 , leading to a relative cooling power of RCP = 283 J kg -1 for the same field change. The adiabatic temperature change was estimated to be Δ T ad max = 2.1 K using the heat capacity data.