Abstract

The structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of HoNi2 melt-spun ribbons were investigated by X-ray diffraction, magnetization and specific heat measurements. The as-solidified ribbons samples produced are single phase with the cubic MgCu2-type crystal structure of the Laves phase (C15; space group Fd-3m), and a Curie temperature T-C of 13.9 K. For a magnetic field change mu(0)Delta R of 5 T (2 T) applied along the ribbon length, the produced ribbon samples show a maximum magnetic entropy change Delta S(M)(peak )of -27.2 (-16.9) J kg(-1) K-1, a full-width at half-maximum delta T-FWHM for the Delta S-M(T) curve of 19 (11) K, and a refrigerant capacity, determined from the area below delta T-FWHM the Delta S-M(T) curve, of 388 (145) Jkg(-1) ; the adiabatic temperature change Delta T-ad at 2 T is 6.7 K. Whereas crystal structure and intrinsic magnetic properties are in good agreement with the experimental data previously reported in literature for bulk polycrystalline alloys, the magnetocaloric parameters at 2 T are markedly superior owing to the favorable combination of partial texture with the anisotropic behavior of magnetization. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.