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We report on the microstructure, phase constitution and magnetocaloric properties in rapidly solidified La(Fe,Mn)11.6Si1.4 flakes prepared by strip casting technique. After a relatively short-time annealing at 1323 K for 12 h, LaFe11.6Si1.4 flakes constituting a nearly single NaZn13-structured La(Fe,Si)13, i.e. 1:13 phase, exhibit a large entropy change of 19.2 J/kg K and adiabatic temperature change of 6.5 K when the application of a magnetic field of 2 T at which temperature. These features are comparable to those observed in the bulk samples. More importantly, the thermal and magnetic hysteresis of the present flakes is significantly smaller than that in the bulk alloys. The Curie temperature can be accurately tuned through replacing Fe by Mn. Thus, La–Fe–Si-based strip-cast flakes are promising for magnetic refrigerants in mass production.

LaFe11.6Si14 microwires with an average diameter of 50 mu m have been fabricated by utilizing the melt-extraction method. The geometry of wires fits the requirement of magnetic refrigerants when applied in active magnetic regenerator (AMR) systems. Magnetocaloric properties of these wires are comparable to those for the bulk sample with the equivalent NaZn13-type phase (i.e. the 1:13 phase), making them the promising refrigerants toward application. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.