Giant magnetic entropy change in antiferromagnetic DyCuSi compound

Magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effects (MCE) of intermetallic DyCuSi compound have been investigated by means of magnetization measurements. It is found that DyCuSi is an antiferromagnet with a Néel temperature T N = 10 K and undergoes a field-induced metamagnetic transition from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic states below T N . The MCE around T N has been studied by using the field-dependent magnetization data. The maximal magnetic entropy change ( − Δ S M ) and refrigerant capacity (RC) are 24.0 J/kg K and 381 J/kg, respectively, for the field change of 0–5 T. The giant Δ S M without hysteresis loss around T N is found to result from the field-induced metamagnetic transition.