Excellent Magnetocaloric Effect in Er₆₀Al₁₈Co₂₂ Bulk Metallic Glass

Excellent magnetocaloric effect with a maximum entropy change and refrigeration capacity of 17.6 J⋅kg⁻¹⋅K⁻¹ and 546 J⋅kg⁻¹, respectively, has been discovered in the Er₆₀Al₁₈Co₂₂ bulk metallic glass under the field of 50 kOe in the temperature range of helium liquefaction. This MCE results from the second-order magnetic transition from the paramagnetic to the ferromagnetic state. Our analysis based on mean-field theory suggests that the excellent MCE is attributed to the strong exchange of magnetic moment in the glassy structure.