Tuning the Competing magnetic interactions in RTiGe (R = Tb, Er) Compounds and tailoring the Magnetocaloric effect

The tetragonal layered compounds TbTiGe and ErTiGe order antiferromagnetically at 276 K and 39 K, respectively. Partial substitution of Mo for Ti in these two compounds modifies the magnetic interactions giving rise to a ferromagnetic ground state which results in an enhanced magnetocaloric effect. The magnetic entropy change in ErTi0.85Mo0.15Ge for a magnetic field change of 5 T is ~10.5 J/kg/K against ~0.8 J/kg/K for ErTiGe in the vicinity of the magnetic transition. Thus, magnetocaloric properties of such layered materials may be tunable by suitable chemical substitutions.