Modified La-Fe-Si magnetocaloric alloys

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022238262-A1
Application number	US-202217803110-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 16, 2022
Priority date	Mar 5, 2018
Publication date	Jul 28, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A magnetocaloric material comprising a La—Fe—Si based alloy composition that is compositionally modified to include a small but effective amount of at least one of Al, Ga, and In to improve mechanical stability of the alloy (substantially reduce alloy brittleness), improve thermal conductivity, and preserve comparable or provide improved magnetocaloric effects. The alloy composition may be further modified by inclusion of at least one of Co, Mn, Cr, and V as well as interstitial hydrogen.

First claim

1 . A magnetocaloric alloy comprising a magnetocaloric intermetallic compound phase having a crystal structure in which La, Fe and Si and at least one of Al, Ga, and In are present in solid solution in an amount of 0.07 atomic % to 3.5 atomic % of the alloy which amount is selected to reduce alloy brittleness as compared to an identical alloy devoid of Al, Ga, and In to increase the number of temperature/magnetic field cycles without alloy cracking or decrepitating.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The alloy of claim 1 wherein said at least one of Al, Ga, and In is/are substituted for an amount of the Si of the alloy.

4 . The alloy of claim 1 also including at least one of Co, Mn, Cr, and V.

5 . The alloy of claim 4 wherein said at least one of Co, Mn, Cr, and V is/are substituted for some of the Fe of the alloy.

6 . The alloy of claim 1 including interstitial hydrogen.

7 . The alloy of claim 8 which is solidified and then heat treated.

8 . The alloy of claim 1 which is solidified from a bulk alloy melt.

9 . A magnetocaloric alloy having reduced brittleness and one of the following compositions:
LaFe 13-z Si z-y X y , where X═Al, Ga, In with 1.1≤z≤1.9 and 0.01≤y≤0.5 La(Fe 1-w M w ) 13-z Si z-y X y , where X═Al, Ga, In, and M=Co, Mn, Cr, V with 0.05≤w≤0.1, and 1.1≤z≤1.9, and 0.01≤y≤0.5 LaFe 13-z Si z-y X y H v , where X═Al, Ga, In with 1.1≤z≤1.9, 0.01≤y≤0.5, 0<v 2.3 La(Fe 1-w M w ) 13-z Si z-y X y H v , where X═Al, Ga, In, and M=Co, Mn, Cr, V with 0.05≤w≤0.1, and 1.1≤z≤1.9, and 0.01≤y≤0.5, and 0<v≤2.3.

10 . The alloy of claim 9 exhibiting a magnetocaloric effect that is tunable between about 170 K and about 350 K.

11 . The alloy of claim 9 exhibiting increased thermal conductivity as compared to the parent La—Fe—Si alloy devoid of Al, Ga, and In.

12 . (canceled)

13 . The alloy of claim 9 that is machinable.

14 . A magnetic regenerator comprising the alloy of claim 1 .

15 . The regenerator of claim 14 which is in the form of particles or plates or packed spheres.

16 . The regenerator of claim 14 which comprises packed irregularly shaped particles.

17 . The regenerator of claim 14 comprising 3D-printed spherical particles comprising said alloy and/or 3D-printed irregularly shaped particles comprising said alloy.

18 . The regenerator of claim 14 which comprises parallel plates.

19 . A magnetic refrigerator using a regenerator made from material of claim 1 .

20 . A magnetic heat pump using a regenerator made from material of claim 1 .

21 . The alloy of claim 1 wherein said at least one of Al, Ga, and In is/are present in an amount of 0.6 atomic % to 3.5 atomic % of the alloy.

22 . The alloy of claim 1 wherein said at least one of Al, Ga, and In is/are present in an amount of 0.7 atomic % to 3.5 atomic % of the alloy.

Assignees

• Univ Iowa State Res Found Inc

Inventors

• Pathak Arjun K
• Mudryk Yaroslav
• Dolotko Oleksandr
• Pecharsky Vitalij K

Classifications

• H01F1/015 Primary

  Metals or alloys · CPC title

• C22C33/04 Primary

  by melting · CPC title

• B22F10/28

  Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM] · CPC title

• B33Y70/00

  Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing · CPC title

• Y02B30/00

  Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC] · CPC title