Magnetocaloric Effect in Dysprosium

Abstract

The magnetocaloric effect and magnetization of a polycrystalline ellipsoid of dysprosium were measured in magnetic fields up to 20 kOe from the temperature of liquid nitrogen to room temperature. Dysprosium exhibits both heating and cooling upon adiabatic magnetization depending on its magnetic state (ferromagnetic, paramagnetic, or antiferromagnetic) and a change in state is reflected by its magnetocaloric behavior. The magnetocaloric effect has been correlated with temperature, magnetization, and magnetic field intensity. These various behaviors are discussed in terms of some of the existing ideas concerning dysprosium.