Formation and large cryogenic magnetocaloric effect of HoAl2/Al2O3 nanocapsules

HoAl2/Al2O3 nanocapsules with a core of HoAl2 and a shell of amorphous Al2O3 have been synthesized. The formation of the rare-earth compound nanocapsules can be ascribed to the different melting points and the optimal proportions of Ho and Al atoms during the arc-discharging process. Furthermore, the formation of the Al2O3 shell protects the rare-earth atoms from serious oxidation. The HoAl2/Al2O3 nanocapsules display superparamagnetic properties between the blocking temperature of 6 K and the Curie temperature of 26 K. The absolute value of the magnetic-entropy change in the HoAl2/Al2O3 nanocapsules rapidly increases with the decrease in temperature and reaches 14.7 J kg-1 K-1 at 3 K for a magnetic-field change from 0 to 70 kOe. As a result, this new type of nanocapsule may be applied, in the temperature range studied, in cryogenic magnetic-refrigerator devices.