The following is an abstract of the presentation:

The magnetocaloric effect (MCE) is the ability of a magnetic material, particularly near its Curie temperature, to heat up when a magnetic field is applied (magnetization) and to cool when the field is removed (demagnetization). A number of new materials, especially Gd₅(Si_1-xGe_x)₄, have outstanding MCE properties, significantly better than the well known standard, Gd metal. The giant MCE effect observed in the Gd₅(Si_1-xGe_x)₄ alloys for x \\8805; 0.5 is due to a coupled magnetostructural transformation. The coupled transformation also accounts for several other interesting phenomena - giant magnetoresistance; colossal magnetostriction; spontaneous generation of voltage; unusual training, dynamical and thermal phenomena; acoustic emissions; and a novel glass-like kinetically retarded state. Extension of the work on the MCE has led to the near commercialization of magnetic refrigeration as a viable cooling technology, and to the discovery of ductile RM (R = rare earth, T = transition metal) B2 cesium chloride-type intermetallic compounds.

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Publisher: TMS
Product Format: Webcast
Duration: 45 minutes
Date Published: April 23, 2008