Magnetocaloric effect in R2 Ti3 Ge4 (R=Gd, Tb, and Er) compounds

The heat capacity of polycrystalline R2 Ti3 Ge4 (R=Gd, Tb, and Er) compounds (orthorhombic, Sm5 Ge4 -type, space group Pnma) has been studied in the temperature range of 1.8-300 K in various applied magnetic fields. The compounds with magnetic lanthanide elements show interesting low field magnetism intrigued by the possible presence of competing antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic interactions. The magnetocaloric effect in these compounds is estimated from the field dependent heat capacity data. The magnetic entropy change and the adiabatic temperature change in the vicinity of the magnetic transition are found to be significant. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.