Rare-earth metals (REM) gadolinium and dysprosium, and also the Gd–H and Dy–H systems in which magnetic order–order and order–disorder phase transitions are accompanied by significant magnetocaloric effect, have been studied. The materials have been prepared in various structural states. It is stated that there is a substantial difference of their functional properties in the dependence on the features of the structural state and also on the existence of a gas-forming impurity. It has been proved experimentally and theoretically that the Curie temperatures of Gd samples with grain sizes of ~200 nm increases as a result of hydrogenation, while the magnetic phase transition temperatures of Dy are almost unchanged Inhomogeneities.

Magnetocaloric properties of compounds Gd(Ni0.98Si0.02), Dy(Ni0.95Si0.05) and their hydrides Gd(Ni0.98Si0.02)H3, Dy(Ni0.95Si0.05)H4 were investigated in the temperature range 2 – 100K. It was found that partial substitution of Ni atoms by Si atoms, as well as subsequent hydrogenation can lead to a significant change in the Curie temperature (TC), the magnetocaloric effect, and the temperature at which the maximum MCE (Tmax) is observed. It is shown that the TC and Tmax of the hydrides are shifted by several degrees to the low temperature region with increasing or maintaining the MCE, which can significantly expand the application of such materials in cryogenic engineering.