The effect of Fe and Ni substitution in magnetocaloric MnCoGe

The MnCoGe family of compounds shows potential as a rare-earth free material for magnetocaloric applications around room temperature. We present initial findings on the effects of the substitution of Fe and Ni for Mn in a series of Mn{sub 1-x}T{sub x}CoGe compounds (T = Fe, Ni; x = 0.04 - 0.10). Investigations include x-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry(200 - 670 K) and magnetisation (5 - 350 K) measurements in magnetic fields up to 8 T. The influence of the Fe and Ni substitutions on the transformation temperature between the hexagonal and orthorhombic structures, the resultant phase fractions and their magnetic phase transitions are reported.