Magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Gd melt-spun ribbons

Structural features, magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect of pure Gd ribbons prepared by melt spinning method were carefully analyzed. The X-ray data show that there is no change in the cell parameters for the samples prepared at different copper-wheel speed. Average size of nanocrystalline grains was close to 30 nm. As compared to the bulk Gd sample, the Curie temperature was the same in the case of the ribbons. From the magnetic isotherms, the magnetic entropy change was derived using the Maxwell relation follow the standard procedure. Its value was comparable with the value of the bulk Gd. Good mechanical properties of fabricated Gd ribbon and their flexibility can be useful for design of flexible refrigerating elements.