Magnetocaloric Effect in Antiferromagnetic Half-Heusler Alloy DyNiSb

The low-temperature magnetic, thermal and magnetocaloric properties of the half-Heusler compound DyNiSb were studied on polycrystalline samples. The temperature variations of the magnetization and the heat capacity revealed a phase transition from paramagnetic to antiferromagnetic state at the Néel temperature TN 3.1 K. The compound exhibits normal and inverse magnetocaloric effect with the isothermal magnetic entropy change reaching 5.2 J/(kgK) at 4.8 K for a magnetic field change of 3 T. The estimated refrigerant capacity is about 58 J/kg.