Structural features, magnetic properties and magnetocaloric effect of pure Gd ribbons prepared by melt spinning method were carefully analyzed. The X-ray data show that there is no change in the cell parameters for the samples prepared at different copper-wheel speed. Average size of nanocrystalline grains was close to 30 nm. As compared to the bulk Gd sample, the Curie temperature was the same in the case of the ribbons. From the magnetic isotherms, the magnetic entropy change was derived using the Maxwell relation follow the standard procedure. Its value was comparable with the value of the bulk Gd. Good mechanical properties of fabricated Gd ribbon and their flexibility can be useful for design of flexible refrigerating elements.

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Gd flake samples were prepared by conventional ball milling technique starting from rapidly quenched Gd ribbons and followed by vacuum annealing in different conditions. Heat treatments were conducted in a vacuum at selected temperatures up to 600 K. The structural features, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties were comparatively analyzed. The change in magnetic entropy was calculated using an experimental set of magnetic isotherms measured in a wide range of temperatures. The variations in the refrigeration capacity and the exponent of the magnetic entropy change in the external magnetic field were carefully calculated and analyzed.