Enhanced magnetocaloric effect in distilled terbium and emergence of novel properties after severe plastic deformation

We report the magneto-structural and magnetocaloric properties study of Tb purified by distillation and further processed by severe plastic deformation (SPD). Both parent and the SPD-processed Tb contain nanosized structural elements and have a very pronounced (00 l ) texture. We observe an improved magnetocaloric effect (MCE) in the distilled nanocrystalline Tb while novel properties emerge in the sample after severe plastic deformation. The latter demonstrates zero thermal expansion over a wide temperature range while its MCE vanishes. We show that the absolutely new physical properties in Tb result from the structural transformation and modification of magnetic interactions.