| Summary: | The effects of Y on the phase composition and magnetocaloric effect in La<sub>1−x</sub>Y<sub>x</sub>Fe<sub>11.5</sub>Si<sub>1.5</sub> compounds were studied. Y<sub>2</sub>Fe<sub>17</sub>-type phase and α-Fe phase appear in the annealed La<sub>1−x</sub>Y<sub>x</sub>Fe<sub>11.5</sub>Si<sub>1.5</sub> compounds when x ≥ 0.07 due to small solid solubility of Y in NaZn<sub>13</sub> phase. Y<sub>2</sub>Fe<sub>17</sub> phase obstructs the formation of the 1:13 phase, leading to the decrease of magnetic entropy changes. But for x < 0.1, La<sub>1−x</sub>Y<sub>x</sub>Fe<sub>11.5</sub>Si<sub>1.5</sub> compounds exhibit high magnetic entropy changes and low hysteresis loss compared with that of LaFe<sub>11.5</sub>Si<sub>1.5</sub>. Consequently, the La<sub>1−x</sub>Y<sub>x</sub>Fe<sub>11.5</sub>Si<sub>1.5</sub> compounds (x < 0.1) are useful to realize large magnetocaloric effect with smaller hysteresis loss.
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