Magnetocaloric effect in the binary intermetallic compound DySi

Polycrystalline binary rare earth intermetallic compound DySi is found to be dimorphic at room temperature (orthorhombic FeB type, space group Pnma, No. 62 and CrB type, space group Cmcm, No. 63). This compound exhibits interesting magnetic properties including an antiferromagnetic transition at ∼38 K (T_N) and a low-temperature field-induced transition in a critical field of 65 kOe, at 5 K. The values of magnetic entropy change and adiabatic temperature change near the magnetic transition in DySi have been estimated using the heat capacity data obtained in different applied fields. Negative magnetocaloric effect is observed at temperatures close to and below T_N, in fields up to 50 kOe.