Double magnetic entropy change peaks and high refrigerant capacity in Gd1-xHoxNi compounds in the melt-spun form

$Gd_{1-x}Ho_xNi$ melt-spun ribbons were fabricated by a single-roller melt spinning method. All the compounds crystallize in an orthorhombic CrB-type structure. The Curie temperature ($T_C$) was tuned between 46 and 99 K by varying the concentration of Gd and Ho. A spin reorientation (SRO) transition is observed around 13 K. Different from $T_C$, the SRO transition temperature is almost invariable for all compounds. Two peaks of magnetic entropy change (${\Delta}S_M$) were found. One at the higher temperature range was originated from the paramagnet-ferromagnet phase transition and the other at the lower temperature range was caused by the SRO transition. The maximum of ${\Delta}S_M$ around $T_C$ is almost same. The other maximum of ${\Delta}S_M$ around SRO transition, however, had significantly positive relationship with x. It reached a maximum about $8.2J\;kg^{-1}\;K^{-1}$ for x = 0.8. Thus double large ${\Delta}S_M$ peaks were obtained in $Gd_{1-x}Ho_xNi$ melt-spun ribbons with the high Ho concentration. And the refrigerant capacity power reached a maximum of $622J\;kg^{-1}$ for x = 0.6. $Gd_{1-x}Ho_xNi$ ribbons could be good candidate for magnetic refrigerant working in the low temperature especially near the liquid nitrogen temperature range.