Abstract

We report on the magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of GdFeSi, as obtained from DC magnetisation and specific heat measurements, in applied fields up to 9 Tesla and in a temperature range between 3 and 300 K. The compound orders ferromagnetically at 118 K. In the paramagnetic range it follows the Curie–Weiss law with μ_eff = 8.68 μ_B and ϑ_c = + 122 K. At 5 K a saturation magnetic moment of 6.16 μ_B was found, while the spontaneous magnetic moment is 6.11 μ_B. From thermodynamic measurements the adiabatic temperature rise for an applied field of 9 T was ΔT = 4.5 K and the refrigerant capacity of the compound in the 10–160 K temperature range was calculated to be 1940 J kg⁻¹. The value is comparable with the one reported for Gd₅Ge₄ of 780 J kg⁻¹ in the temperature span 10–50 K for an applied magnetic field of 5 Tesla.