Reversible room-temperature magnetocaloric effect with large temperature span in antiperovskite compounds Ga1-xCMn3+x (x=0, 0.06, 0.07, and 0.08)

The magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of Ga1-xCMn3+x have been investigated. Reversible magnetocaloric effect (MCE) occurs near the Curie temperature TC. The magnetic entropy change decreases with increasing x, though TC and magnetization increases. Meanwhile, the temperature span of vs. T plot becomes well broadened with x. Due to the competition between the broadening temperature span and decreasing, the relative cooling power (RCP) increases initially, and then decreases with increasing x. The largest RCP (2.1 J/cm3, under 45 kOe) observed when x=0.07 (TC = 296.5 K) is comparable to the contemporary magnetic refrigerant materials. Considering the reversible MCE, inexpensive and innoxious raw materials, our result suggests that Ga1-xCMn3+x can be promising candidate for magnetic refrigeration around room temperature.