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.